But although the work of Copernicus is considered one of the foundations of astronomical science, interestingly at the time the Copernican theory did not raise the suspicions of the Catholic Church, which saw the work as a mathematical hypothesis and not an actual physical phenomenon. However, it was the Polish Nicolaus Copernicus who, in 1543, refuted the geocentric system of Ptolemy in his book De Revolutionibus Orbium Coelestium ( On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres), published shortly before his death, which led to another expression borrowed by science from the vernacular: the Copernican revolution. Heliocentrism had been a cherished approach since ancient times, with its first formulation in the Western world being attributed to the Greek mathematician Aristarchus of Samos in the third century BC. ![]() In the work the astronomer brought his telescopic observations to support the heliocentric hypothesis however, this idea had already been circulating in the celestial treatises for nearly a century. Galileo was condemned for his theory that the Earth revolved around the Sun, and not the contrary, an idea that on 24 February 1616 the Inquisition of the Catholic Church declared “formally heretical” as well as “foolish and absurd in philosophy.” Heliocentrism had become a matter of theological discussion following Galileo’s work Sidereus Nuncius ( Sidereal Messenger) published in 1610. ![]() Galileo Galilei (1564-1642), by an unknown italian painter. But the appearance of these words, camouflaged in a portrait of Galileo painted by the School of Murillo after the death of the scientist, has brought them into popular culture, founding the idea that the eminent astronomer never renounced his belief. It is one of the most famous quotes in the history of science, although it is doubtful that the Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei (15 February 1564 – 8 January 1642), to whom it is attributed, ever actually said it, and especially not before the Inquisition that forced him to recant his heliocentric theory. It is said that, after being forced to delcare that the Earth was the centre of the universe, Galileo muttered under his breath “Eppur si muove” (and yet it moves), but there is no contemporary evidence for what would have been a very dangerous act of defiance.“Eppur si muove”(and yet it moves). This was later reduced to permanent house arrest after he withdrew his support for the Copernican model. The pope took this as a personal insult and in February 1633 Galileo was accused of heresy.ĭespite defending himself vigourously, he was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment by the Holy Office. Unfortunately for Galileo he had named the geocentric supporter Simplico, which has connotations of him being a simpleton. The book took the form of a discussion between two men, each advocating different models for the solar system. Galileo was ordered to abandon his support of heliocentrism by Pope Paul V.ġ7 years later, under the new pope, Urban VIII, Galileo published his book ‘Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems’, in which he championed Copernican theory. In 1615 he was investigated by the Roman Inquisition, which concluded that his work was contrary to Holy Scripture. This persuaded Galileo that the Copernican model was correct and the solar system was heliocentric. ![]() Something only possible if the planets were orbiting the Sun and not the Earth. Galileo then observed the full phases of Venus. Such an observation caused a revolution in astronomy as it directly challenged the established belief that all heavenly bodies circled the Earth. Galileo Galilei's improvements to telescope design had allowed him to observe Jupiter’s four largest moons, now known in his honour as the Galilean moons.
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