Books

Nuremberg: Johann Petreius, 1543. First edition. Hardcover. A LANDMARK IN HUMAN THOUGHT" (PMM). First edition, and an unusually fine copy, of the most important scientific publication of the sixteenth century - a "landmark in human thought" (PMM). De revolutionibus was the first work to propose a comprehensive heliocentric theory of the cosmos, according to which the sun stood still and the earth revolved around it. It thereby inaugurated one of the greatest ever paradigm shifts in the history of human thought. "Renaissance mathematicians, following Ptolemy, believed that the moon, sun and five planets were carried by complex systems of epicycles and deferents about the central earth, the fixed pivot of the whole system. In Copernicus's day it was well known that conventional astronomy did not work accurately ... Copernicus, stimulated by the free entertainment of various new ideas among the ancients, determined to abandon the fixity of the earth ... With the sun placed at the…

Nicolaus Copernicus' groundbreaking work on heliocentrism is encapsulated in his seminal book "De revolutionibus orbium coelestium" (On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres). This work, published in 1543, marked a significant departure from the geocentric model that had dominated astronomical thought for centuries. Copernicus proposed that the Sun, rather than the Earth, was at the center of the universe, with the Earth and other planets revolving around it. "De revolutionibus" begins with seven axioms outlining the heliocentric theory. These include the notions that the Earth rotates daily on its axis and revolves annually around the Sun. Copernicus provided detailed mathematical proofs and astronomical observations to support his heliocentric model. He described the motions of the planets more accurately than the Ptolemaic system, which placed the Earth at the center. While still using some elements of the Ptolemaic system, like epicycles, Copernicus significantly simplified the complex system of planetary motions. The publication of "De revolutionibus" is often considered the starting point of the Scientific Revolution. It fundamentally changed the way humanity understood the cosmos and our place within it. Initially, the book did not cause a major stir, but eventually, the Catholic Church condemned it, placing it on the Index of Forbidden Books in 1616 due to its contradiction with the geocentric view supported by the Church. Despite this, Copernicus' heliocentric theory paved the way for later astronomers like Johannes Kepler and Galileo Galilei, who further developed and provided more evidence for the heliocentric model. The book is divided into six parts. Book I outlines the heliocentric theory and provides a general explanation of the universe. Book II covers the principles of spherical astronomy as a basis for the heliocentric theory. Book III discusses the precession of the equinoxes and the apparent motion of the Sun. Book IV focuses on the Moon and its motion. Book V examines the motions of the planets, including retrograde motion. Finally, Book VI discusses the order of the planets and the orbit of the Earth, as well as an explanation of the various phenomena observed from Earth. Nicolaus Copernicus' "De revolutionibus orbium coelestium" was a groundbreaking work that challenged the long-held geocentric model of the universe. By placing the Sun at the center and describing the motions of the planets around it, Copernicus laid the foundation for modern astronomy and the scientific revolution. His work fundamentally altered humanity's understanding of the cosmos and set the stage for future astronomical discoveries. This work is now rare and highly valuable.

Originals should have a title page with the year 1543 and the name of the publisher Johann Petreius. Originally published in Latin. The publication of "De revolutionibus" is often considered the starting point of the Scientific Revolution. Despite the initial muted reaction and later condemnation by the Catholic Church, the work fundamentally changed the way humanity understood the cosmos and our place within it. Copernicus' heliocentric theory paved the way for later astronomers like Johannes Kepler and Galileo Galilei, who further developed and provided more evidence for the heliocentric model, solidifying its place in the annals of scientific history.