Nicolaus Copernicus
Occupation
Astronomer, Mathematician, Clergyman
Year born
1473
Research Areas
Planets, Mechanics
- Early Life
Nicolaus was born in Thorn, Poland. His father, who sold copper, died when Nicolaus was 10. After his father's death, Nicolaus’ uncle looked after him and made sure he had a good education.
When he was 23, Nicolaus went to Italy to study law. In Italy, he stayed with a maths professor and became interested in astronomy.
Investigate Day and Night
On Earth, night follows day and day follows night. But why?
Complete this fun investigation to find out!
Make a Tasty Constellation
A constellation is a group of stars that can be joined together to form a shape or picture. Many ancient cultures around the world often created stories about the shapes they could see in the night sky.
Let's Explore the Solar System!
Next time it's dark, why don't you look up!
Even if we can't go into space we can still learn a lot about it from right here on the ground.
Explore Day and Night Around the World
Do different parts of the world experience day and night at the same time? Why do parts of the Earth have seasons? What are days and nights like at the north and south poles?