Nicolaus Copernicus

Nicolaus Copernicus was a Renaissance polymath, active as a mathematician, astronomer, and Catholic canon, who formulated a model of the universe that placed the Sun rather than Earth at its center. In all likelihood, Copernicus developed his model independently of Aristarchus of Samos, an ancient Greek astronomer who had formulated such a model some eighteen centuries earlier.

19 February 1473

Born on the same birth day (19 February): Cedric Hardwicke • Danilo Türk • Fay McKenzie • Friedrich Hoffmann • Jeff Daniels • Jennifer Doudna • John Freeman (British politician) • Kyle Chipchura • Millie Bobby Brown • Peter Hudson • Reynhard Sinaga • Álvaro Obregón