R. Taillet (Université de Savoie/LAPTH) – Seminar – April 4th 2025 – 14h

Heliocentrism According to Copernicus

The hypothesis of a heliocentric universe formulated by Nicolas Copernicus in 1543, in opposition to the geocentric model known as “Ptolemaic” and in force for over a millennium, marked a major turning point in our conception of the world, to the extent that the expression “Copernican revolution” has entered common language. However, this episode in the history of science is often presented in a caricatured manner, which does not allow for a full understanding of the Copernican proposition, with its strengths and weaknesses. During this seminar, aimed at physicists, Richard Taillet will attempt to provide a detailed overview of the heliocentric model, the problems it aimed to solve, the opposition it encountered, and the alternatives proposed during the following century.