Evening star., 1923-02-18
Copern;cus, Famed Astronomer,
TOBe HOnOred on 45Oth Birthday
Vas First toE1plai',
MOuennentOfEn Earth
around Sun.
Died as Treatise Ar,-
nouncing Discovery
Vas Completed.
By JOSEPH J. AKSTON.

Scientists and astronomers OF many
nationalities in Europe and America
and high officials Of Poland from the
president down will cast aside their
regular duties for few hours tomorrow
and observe the 450th birthday ami
versary OF Nicolaus Copernicus, who
was the first man to make n clear
analysis Of the movement Of heavenly
bodies and who showed conclusiveIy
that the earth moves around the sun.
In the city OF Thorn. Poland. the
birthplace OF Copernicus. the President
of Poland and his cabinet. government
department heads, university professors
and students. scientists and astron-
omers. will gather tomorrow morning
and will witness the unveiling OF
memorial tablet TO the great Pole after
services at the Church of st. Johns.
Address at Museum.
In Washington tomorrow afternoon
DR.. c. @. Abbot, assistant secretary of
the Smithsonian Institution. will deliver
an address on Copernicus. his life and
astronomical theory In the auditorium
of the National Museum. The meeting
has been arranged for by Prince Albert
StanislaS Radziwili and Counselor Kwa-
piszewski of the Polish legation, and
will be attended by officials Of the lega-
ion. local university professors, stu
dents and government employees.
Similarly. III leading cities OF the
country. cognlzance will he taken Of the
day. All meetings Of this nature have
headed by Prince Radziwill and COM
posed of Brontslaw u. Kulakowski.
editor OF the Nowy SWAT. published IN
New York. and George Fudakowskt,
neers and Merchants in the United
States.
Nicolaus Copernicus (his Polish name
was Mikolaj kopernik) received his ear
IL 1876. N bT ,Ss pos Rng
Casimir the Great. In the year OF 400
it was reorganized through the efforts
of King Ladislas Jagieilo. His wife.
Hedwisa. had sacrificed her Jewels to
found the famous Jag,ellon Library.
thus Facilitating the rise OF the study OF
scholastic philosophy, mathematics and
astronomy. During his three years'
stay az the University of Cracow young
N:colaus devoted himself to the study
Of mathematical science, under a IA
NOUS Polish scientist, Albert Brudzew-
ski.
When d boy OF ten Copernicus lost
his father. His uncle. Lucas Watzel-
adopted young Nicolaus and made him
study the canon law. which he took up
at the age of twenty three, at the Bo-
logua University, varying his studies
Dy ATTENDING lA0 lectures OF 0OHleDlCO
Maria Novara on astronomy. A year
later he discovered the error OF Ptole-
maic doctrine on the distance Of the
moon and the movements OF Venus and
Mercury planets. which has started him
in the direction of celebrating an en-
tirely new system of astronomy, that
made an epoch in the history Of human
thought.
Nominated canon Of the Frauenburg
Cathedral in 1897, he entered the priest
hood, but clung fast to his determine
ton to complete his academic career.
In 1901 he recrossed the Alps and two
years later received Doctors degree
Ferrara- He then. together with his
brother Andrew, entered the medical
school at the University Of Padua,
where he remained until 1905. Upon
the request Of his uncle. the Bishop Of
Copernicus returned that year to his
native country and lived at the episco-
pal palace Of Heilsberg until his unclss .
death in 1872.
Epoch-Making Treatise.
Then he returned to Frauenburg, ap-
plying himself vigorously to his capitu-
lar duties. Administrative and political
conditions he worked under were very
harassing. AS a commissary OF the
diocese Of Ermeland he constantly met
| with opposition and was handicapped
in his work upon the reform Of the cur
TeUCy, b SCHSIllc ne ldlQ DoIOI6 Olct
of Graudenz in 1922. His medical skill.
always at the service Of the poor, was
frequently in demand OF the rich.
Amidst all these duties he yet found
time to elaborate an entirely new sys-
tenn Of astronomy, by the adoption OF
which mans outlook on the universe
was fundamentally changed.
From the observatory he had built
for himself in F'rauenburg he sought
to test with imperfect instruments
the truth of his theory opposing
Ptolemaic doctrines Of early date.
Continuously, for q number Of years,
the spent all his free moments on, the
elaboration Of his helliocentric the
| ory. The epoch-making treatise in
which 1t was set forth was virtually
| finished In 1880, a brief popular ac-
count Of its purport being written by
| iCopernicus in that year. But the drst
complete printed copy reached Frau
enburg barely In time to be laid on
the writer's deathbed. His life-
work was dedicated to the Pope Paul
iii and its first edition was printed
in Latin in the year 1543, when Copper
nicus, seized with apoplexy and
paralysis and embittered by life made
; unbearable by his opponents, was
quietly awaiting his death. On the
morning Of May "a of the same year
! the soul of a great man, whom the
world calls soils stator-terrae mo-
! and made the earth move"), departed
I into the unknown.
| In the memory Of Copernicus a
mountain on the moon IL named after
!