Nicolaus Copernicus explained to kids

Nicolaus Copernicus was a Polish astronomer who lived in the 1500s. He is famous for his work in developing the theory that the Sun, not the Earth, is the center of our solar system. This idea was radical at the time and went against what most people believed. Copernicus was born on February 19, 1473, in the city of Torun, Poland. His father was a wealthy merchant, and his mother came from a noble family. Copernicus was sent to study at the University of Krakow when he was just 10 years old. He later went on to study at the University of Bologna in Italy and the University of Padua in Italy. In 1507, Copernicus returned to Poland and began working as a canon, or church official, in Frauenberg. He also began studying astronomy and working on his theory that the Sun was the center of the solar system. Copernicus published his theory in a book called On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres in 1543. The idea that the Sun was the center of the solar system was not new. However, Copernicus was the first to provide mathematical evidence to support this theory. His work was very influential, and it paved the way for future scientists to develop the laws of motion and gravity. Copernicus died on May 24, 1543, in Frauenberg, Poland.