Question

………….stated that the sun was the centre of our universe and not earth.
A) Albert Einstein
B) Isaac Newton
C) Nicolas Copernicus
D) Galileo Galilei

Answer 1

Hint: The apparent motion of heavenly bodies across the sky was well known even during the very ancient times. But today we study all the heavenly bodies based on three Kepler’s law before these different laws astronomers gave some theories, for example, geocentric theory, helio-centric theory. These theories predict that which are fixed and which heavenly bodies rotate.

Complete step by step answer:
In ancient times the most refined theory of the motion of heavenly bodies of that time was developed in the second century A.D. by Greek astronomer Ptolemy. According to his theory, the sun, the moon and all the planets were in uniform motion in circles called epicycles with the motionless fixed earth at the centre. This theory is the geocentric theory.
After this prediction Aryabhatta, an Indian astronomer and mathematician was also of the view that earth moves around the sun along with other planets. According to him, the earth rotates about its axis once in 24hours. At last, Copernicus discarded the old theory of stationary earth that had dominated the minds of people. He proposed the sun centered theory according to which the earth and all planets move around the sun. This theory is known as the helio-centric theory. Therefore, Nicolas Copernicus stated that the sun was the centre of our universe and not earth.

Hence the correct option is (C).

Note: These theories again studied by different astronomers and finally at last John Kepler’s concluded that the orbits of the planets were not circular as proposed by Copernicus but elliptical. So, he put forward three Kepler’s laws.