Nicolaus Copernicus Quotes - Page 2

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• Accordingly, since nothing prevents the earth from moving, I suggest that we should now consider also whether several motions suit it, so that it can be regarded as one of the planets. For, it is not the center of all the revolutions.

  Nicolaus Copernicus

  Moving, Earth, Suits

  Nicolaus Copernicus (1978). “On the revolutions”

  9 Copy quote

• We regard it as a certainty that the earth, enclosed between poles, is bounded by a spherical surface.

  Nicolaus Copernicus

  Earth, Surface, Certainty

  Nicolaus Copernicus (1978). “On the revolutions”

  9 Copy quote

• I shall now recall to mind that the motion of the heavenly bodies is circular, since the motion appropriate to a sphere is rotation in a circle.

  Nicolaus Copernicus

  Circles, Mind, Body

  Nicolaus Copernicus (1978). “On the revolutions”

  26 Copy quote

• Pouring forth its seas everywhere, then, the ocean envelops the earth and fills its deeper chasms.

  Nicolaus Copernicus

  Ocean, Sea, Pouring

  Nicolaus Copernicus (1978). “On the revolutions”

  7 Copy quote

• If there be some who, though ignorant of all mathematics . . . dare to reprove this work, because of some passage of Scripture, which they have miserably warped to their purpose, I regard them not, and even despise their rash judgement.

  Nicolaus Copernicus

  Judgement, Ignorant, Scripture

  12 Copy quote

• So far as hypotheses are concerned, let no one expect anything certain from astronomy, which cannot furnish it, lest he accept as the truth ideas conceived for another purpose, and depart from this study a greater fool than when he entered it.

  Nicolaus Copernicus

  Ideas, Purpose, Fool

  Nicolaus Copernicus, Georg Joachim Rhäticus (1971). “Three Copernican treatises: the Commentariolus of Copernicus, the Letter against Werner, the Narratio prima of Rheticus”, Octagon Press, Limited

  30 Copy quote

• In so many and such important ways, then, do the planets bear witness to the earth's mobility.

  Nicolaus Copernicus

  Important, Mobility, Earth

  Nicolaus Copernicus (1978). “On the revolutions”

  42 Copy quote

• For when a ship is floating calmly along, the sailors see its motion mirrored in everything outside, while on the other hand they suppose that they are stationary, together with everything on board. In the same way, the motion of the earth can unquestionably produce the impression that the entire universe is rotating.

  Nicolaus Copernicus

  Hands, Together, Ships

  Nicolaus Copernicus (1978). “Nicholas Copernicus on the revolutions”

  8 Copy quote

• In the midst of all dwells the Sun. For who could set this luminary in another or better place in this most glorious temple, than whence he can at one and the same time brighten the whole.

  Nicolaus Copernicus

  Sun, Temples, Midst

  9 Copy quote

• Although all the good arts serve to draw man's mind away from vices and lead it toward better things, this function can be more fully performed by this art, which also provides extraordinary intellectual pleasure.

  Nicolaus Copernicus

  Art, Men, Intellectual

  Nicolaus Copernicus (1978). “Nicholas Copernicus on the revolutions”

  7 Copy quote

• I can easily conceive, most Holy Father, that as soon as some people learn that in this book which I have written concerning the revolutions of the heavenly bodies, I ascribe certain motions to the Earth, they will cry out at once that I and my theory should be rejected.

  Nicolaus Copernicus

  Father, Book, People

  William Caxton, Jean Calvin, Nicolaus Copernicus, John Knox, Edmund Spenser (1938). “Prefaces and prologues to famous books”

  35 Copy quote

• In the midst of all dwells the sun.

  Nicolaus Copernicus

  Sun, Midst

  11 Copy quote

• The earth together with its surrounding waters must in fact have such a shape as its shadow reveals, for it eclipses the moon with the arc of a perfect circle.

  Nicolaus Copernicus

  Moon, Circles, Perfect

  Nicolaus Copernicus (1978). “On the revolutions”

  49 Copy quote

• The strongest affection and utmost zeal should, I think, promote the studies concerned with the most beautiful objects, most deserving to be known.

  Nicolaus Copernicus

  Beautiful, Stars, Distance

  "On the revolutions".

  6 Copy quote

• Yet the widespread planetary theories, advanced by Ptolemy and most other astronomers, although consistent with the numerical data, seemed likewise to present no small difficulty. For these theories were not adequate unless they also conceived certain equalizing circles, which made the planet appear to move at all times with uniform velocity neither on its deferent sphere nor about its own epicycle's center.

  Nicolaus Copernicus

  Moving, Science, Data

  7 Copy quote

• If there should chance to be any mathematicians who, ignorant in mathematics yet pretending to skill in that science, should dare, upon the authority of some passage of Scripture wrested to their purpose, to condemn and censure my hypothesis, I value them not, and scorn their inconsiderate judgement.
  De Revolutionibus Coelestibus

  Nicolaus Copernicus

  Skills, Judgement, Ignorant

  24 Copy quote

• In the first book I shall describe all the positions of the spheres, along with the motions which I attribute to the Earth, so that the book will contain as it were the general structure of the universe. In the remaining books I relate the motions of the remaining stars, and all the spheres, to the mobility of the Earth, so that it can be thence established how far the motions and appearances of the remaining stars and spheres can be saved, if they are referred to the motions of the Earth.

  Nicolaus Copernicus

  Stars, Book, Science

  Nicolaus Copernicus (1976). “On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres”, David & Charles Publishers

  22 Copy quote

• Mathemata mathematicis scribuntur
  Mathematics is written for mathematicians
  De Revolutionibus

  Nicolaus Copernicus

  Mathematics, Mathematical, Mathematician

  8 Copy quote

• The scorn which I had reason to fear on account of the novelty and unconventionality of my opinion almost induced me to abandon completely the work which I had undertaken. . . . Astronomy is written for astronomers. To them my work too will seem, unless I am mistaken, to make some contribution.

  Nicolaus Copernicus

  Novelty, Opinion, Astronomy

  14 Copy quote

• Therefore, in the course of the work I have followed this plan: I describe in the first book all the positions of the orbits together with the movements which I ascribe to the Earth, in order that this book might contain, as it were, the general scheme of the universe.

  Nicolaus Copernicus

  Book, Order, Together

  William Caxton, Jean Calvin, Nicolaus Copernicus, John Knox, Edmund Spenser (1938). “Prefaces and prologues to famous books”

  76 Copy quote

• So, influenced by these advisors and this hope, I have at length allowed my friends to publish the work, as they had long besought me to do.

  Nicolaus Copernicus

  Long, Length, Advisors

  William Caxton, Jean Calvin, Nicolaus Copernicus, John Knox, Edmund Spenser (1938). “Prefaces and prologues to famous books”

  25 Copy quote

• Astronomy is written for astronomers

  Nicolaus Copernicus

  Astronomy, Astronomers, Written

  Nicolaus Copernicus (1978). “On the revolutions”

  7 Copy quote

• For a traveler going from any place toward the north, that pole of the daily rotation gradually climbs higher, while the opposite pole drops down an equal amount.

  Nicolaus Copernicus

  Opposites, Rotation, Traveler

  Nicolaus Copernicus (1978). “Nicholas Copernicus on the revolutions”

  7 Copy quote

• We are taught all this [the motion of the earth on its axis and around the sun] by the order of succession, in which those phenomena (various planetary happenings) follow each other, and by the harmony of the world, if we will only, as the saying goes, look at the matter with both eyes.

  Nicolaus Copernicus

  Eye, Axes, Order

  "On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres (Book 1)". Book by Nicolaus Copernicus, 1543.

  6 Copy quote

• Therefore, having obtained the opportunity from these sources, I too began to consider the mobility of the earth.

  Nicolaus Copernicus

  Opportunity, Mobility, Earth

  Nicolaus Copernicus (1978). “Nicholas Copernicus on the revolutions”

  14 Copy quote

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