Copernicus' Secret - Triumph of Science

The sun revolves around the earth - for more than 1500 years, this world view of the Greek astronomer Ptolemy was seen as an incontrovertible truth. It fit perfectly into the Christian worldview, in which the earth and God's creation were the center of the world. But in the Ptolemaic calendar, the date and the seasons diverged. The pope demanded a calendar reform. The astronomer and scholar Nicolaus Copernicus was also commissioned to do so. But Copernicus had long ago discovered something groundbreaking and revolutionary. Although it would set the calendar right, it threw the pious Christianity into a serious conflict: The earth revolves around the sun! A dangerous thought. Should he publicize his scientific calculations, or should he continue to hold to the Christian worldview?

Storyline

First Aired

2023-12-12
Last Aired

2023-12-12
Creator
Genre

Documentary
Seasons

1
Episodes

2
Status

Ended
Language

Français, Deutsch
Network

Keywords:

astronomer scientist revolutionary scientist hero culture revolution famous people history and legacy historical documentary

Stream and watch Copernicus' Secret - Triumph of Science

Season 1

1. The Woman Who Opened Nicolaus’ Eyes

For 30 years, the canon and astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus has known that the earth revolves around th...More

For 30 years, the canon and astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus has known that the earth revolves around the sun. A revolution in the late Middle Ages! But the polymath was plagued with doubts: his mathematical calculations did not match his astronomical observa- tions. Even worse: his findings contradict the bibli- cal story of creation. Copernicus struggles with him- self and with his faith. Then the Gdansk merchant‘s daughter Anna Schilling enters his life and will chan- ge his world.Less

52mins 2023-12-12

2. Triumph of Science

Only when his housekeeper and companion Anna Schilling, banned by the bishop, and the Vorarlberg mathe...More

Only when his housekeeper and companion Anna Schilling, banned by the bishop, and the Vorarlberg mathematician Georg Joachim Rheticus persuade Copernicus, Copernicus decides to publish. His work „On the Circular Motions of the Heavenly Bodies“ is printed shortly before his death. Although it is banned by the Catholic Church for over 200 years, it is the beginning of the Copernican turn and the foundation of modern astronomy. The trail leads from Coperni- cus via Johannes Keppler and Isaac Newton to the James Webb telescope.Less