Theory of Celestial Mechanics

Author: Nicolaus Copernicus Ye Shi-hui
Publisher:
Publication Date: 2001-01-01
Features: A work by Copernicus that explains his heliocentric theory. Published in Nuremberg, Germany, in 1543. When the author submitted the manuscript, there was no title; the publisher named it "Six Books on the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres," which was later shortened to "On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres." The book is divided into six volumes. The first volume summarizes the key points of his heliocentric theory, the second applies trigonometry to explain the apparent motion of celestial bodies on the celestial sphere, the third discusses the apparent motion of the Sun and precession, the fourth explains the motion of the Moon, and the fifth and sixth volumes discuss the motion of the planets. The book not only proposes a new cosmic model but also provides rigorous mathematical arguments and quantitative discussions of the motion of the Sun, Moon, and planets. The publication of this book revealed that Earth is just an ordinary planet orbiting the Sun, refuting the religious doctrine that "Earth was specially placed at the center of the universe by God" and undermining the theoretical pillars of the Church's doctrine of divine creation. It played a significant role in advancing the liberation of natural science from theological constraints and the development of astronomy.