COPERNICUS 



The telescope bad not then been invented. The first 

 direct proof of his theory was given when Galileo 

 saw the disk of 'Venus, could distinguish the phases 

 of Venus and of Mars, and determine the variation 

 of their apparent diameters as they changed their 

 position in their orbits. 



Copernicus, though founding a system of Astronomy 

 in direct opposition to that taught by the philosophy 

 of the Catholic faith, was opposed to the Reformation 

 that Luther was effecting in Germany. It is possible 

 that the fact of his non-participation in the religious 

 movement against the Church may have permitted 

 him to carry out his labors in peace and quiet to 

 their completion, for the novelty of his theories had 

 attracted much attention long before their open pub- 

 lication. His work, being addressed to astronomers 

 only, devoid of all reflection upon the influence that it 

 might exert over the dogmatic teachings of the Church, 

 published at the expense of a Cardinal and dedicated 

 to the Pope, escaped for a long time the " Index Ex- 

 purgatorus." The Theories of Kepler, contradicted or 

 confirmed as they individually might be through his 

 persevering observations and calculations, resulted 

 finally, in the establishment of his three well-known 

 laws and their publications in 1608 and 1618, thus 

 perfecting and confirming the Copernican system of 

 Astronomy. 



4 49 



