Nicolaus Copernicus: On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres

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Nicolaus Copernicus:On the Revolutions of the CelestialSpheres
https://doi.org/10.3735/9781961844223.book-part-029

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Abstract

First we must remark that the universe is spherical in form, partly because this form being a perfect whole requiring no joints, is the most complete of all, partly because it makes the most capacious form, which is best suited to contain and preserve everything; or again because all the constituent parts of the universe, that is the sun, moon and the planets appear in this form; or because everything strives to attain this form, as appears in the case of drops of water and other fluid bodies if they attempt to define themselves. So no one will doubt that this form belongs to the heavenly bodies.

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