Nikolaus Kopernikus 1509
The Star Voyagers 1
Until the beginning of the 16th century the earth was thought to be the center of the universe. Only a few years earlier, Columbus discovered America and proved the old greek presumption of the sphericity of the earth. Kopernikus revived another thought from the antiquity wanting to align the ptolemaic theory about the cosmic movements with the actual observations. With a certain uneasiness Kopernikus replaced the earth as a static center with the sun, probably inspired by a sun cult that was popular during the Italien Renaissance. By no means did he intend and expect his statement to produce such a revolution in thinking, making a completely new assessment of the known world necessary.