During the first half of the seventeenth century, debate over the Copernican hypothesis had spread beyond the ranks of astronomers and had stirred up so much controversy that the Church decided to intervene.
Sa unang kalahati ng mga ikalabimpito siglo, debate sa Copernican palagay ay kumalat sa kabila ng ranks ng mga astronomers at nagkaroon lawlaw up pagayon marami pagtatalo na ang Iglesia nagpasya na mamagitan.