2016-02-19 Fri

Nicolaus Copernicus, the mathematician and astronomer who placed the Sun rather than the Earth at the centre of the universe, was born today, 19th February in 1473. The model of our solar system with sun at its centre in his book “De revolutionibus orbium coelestium” (On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres) was published just before his death in 1543. This model of his is considered a major event in the history of science and is said to have triggered the Copernican Revolution and making an important contribution to the Scientific Revolution. Cook Islands in 2008 issued a 10 Dollars commemorative proof coin of .9999 gold, 13.92 mm, silver plated, with CRYSTALLIZED tm - Swarovski Elements in honour of Copernicus. In 1973 the Federal Republic of Germany issued a 5-mark silver coin commemorating 500th anniversary of Copernicus’ birth. India Post in 1973 has issued a commemorative stamp of INR 1 depicting the portrait of Nicolaus Copernicus alongside his model of our solar system. Many other countries like France, Liberia, Romania, Poland, Guyana, and etc have issued stamps in his honour. 1000 Zloty banknotes of Poland issued by the Narodowy Bank Polski (National Bank of Poland) have the portrait of this legendary astronomer and mathematician of Polish origins.