What does «sistema de Copérnico» mean in Spanish?
- Theory based on the original hypothesis of Nicolaus Copernicus to explain the mutual relationships of the planets in the solar system. This hypothesis correctly stated that the Sun was the center of the solar system and that the Earth and the other planets revolved periodically in orbits around it. Such a theory discredited that of Ptolemy, who held that the Earth was the center of the Universe. Copernicus claimed that the planets, including the Earth, revolve around the Sun in an orderly fashion, each in its own orbit, because, as he himself asks, "who, in this magnificent temple, could place the lamp in any better place from which it could illuminate everything?" His system provided a logical explanation for observed phenomena, greatly simplified the study of astronomy and led to the discovery of astronomical laws. The Copernican system pointed out that the Earth was a sphere that rotated around its axis once a day, at the same time that it made a circular orbit around the Sun in a year. The rotation of the Earth on its axis explains the orb (sunrise) and sunset (sunset) of the celestial bodies, corresponding to day and night. The apparent motion of the Sun among the stars is explained by the motions of the Earth in its orbit around the Sun.