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This page describes an image Copernicus's heliocentric system

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Image caption: Sketch of Copernicus's heliocentric model of the Solar System, from his book "De revolutionibus orbium coelestium" (On the revolution of the heavenly spheres) published in 1543. Shown are the Sun as well as the orbits of Mercury, Venus, the Earth (itself orbited by the Moon), Mars, Jupiter and Saturn. The outermost circle represents the sphere of the stars.

In this model, the Earth is not special – it is merely one planet, among several, orbiting the Sun. This was the first example for what is now known as the Copernican Principle: that our positions as observers in the universe is not special or privileged in any way. The shift from the geocentric to the heliocentric model of our universe is known as the Copernican revolution.
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Image credit: Nicolaus Copernicus Credit Link

Related glossary terms: Copernican Principle , Copernican Revolution , Heliocentric Model
Categories: Solar System

Image license: Public Domain Public Domain icons

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Captions in Different Languages:

German
Image caption: Skizze des heliozentrischen Modells des Sonnensystems von Kopernikus, aus seinem 1543 veröffentlichten Buch "De revolutionibus orbium coelestium" (Über die Umlaufbahnen der Himmelssphären). Dargestellt sind die Sonne sowie die Bahnen von Merkur, Venus, Erde (die ihrerseits vom Mond umkreist wird), Mars, Jupiter und Saturn. Der äußerste Kreis stellt die Sphäre der Sterne dar.

In diesem Modell ist die Erde nichts Besonderes - sie ist nur ein Planet unter mehreren, die um die Sonne kreisen. Dies war das erste Beispiel für das, was heute als kopernikanisches Prinzip bekannt ist: dass unsere Position als Beobachter im Universum nicht besonders oder in irgendeiner Weise privilegiert ist. Der Übergang vom geozentrischen zum heliozentrischen Modell unseres Universums ist als kopernikanische Wende bekannt.
Image credit: Nikolaus Kopernikus
Related glossary terms: Heliozentrisches Modell , Kopernikanische Wende , Kopernikanisches Prinzip
Caption translation status: Not yet approved by a reviewer
Caption translators: Emma Krojanski

Italian
Image caption: Schizzo del modello eliocentrico del sistema solare di Copernico, tratto dal suo libro "De revolutionibus orbium coelestium" (Sulla rivoluzione delle sfere celesti) pubblicato nel 1543. Sono rappresentati il Sole e le orbite di Mercurio, Venere, la Terra (a sua volta orbitata attorno dalla Luna), Marte, Giove e Saturno. Il cerchio più esterno rappresenta la sfera delle stelle.

In questo modello, la Terra non è speciale: è solo un pianeta, tra i tanti, che orbita intorno al Sole. Questo fu il primo esempio di quello che oggi è noto come Principio Copernicano: la nostra posizione di osservatori nell'universo non è speciale o privilegiata in alcun modo. Il passaggio dal modello geocentrico a quello eliocentrico del nostro universo è noto come rivoluzione copernicana.
Image credit: Nicolaus Copernicus
Related glossary terms: Modello eliocentrico , Principio copernicano , Rivoluzione Copernicana
Caption translation status: Not yet approved by a reviewer
Caption translators: Francesco Salvestrini