Satara Reyes

Nicolaus Copernicus and His Views on Astronomy

Process Paper: Individual Website
Nov. 16, 2016
Word Count: 332

My topic for this years National History Day competition is on Nicolaus Copernicus and
His Views on Astronomy. I chose this topic because I have an interest in astronomy and the steps
toward our current understanding of our solar system and the universe around us. This topic
effects society today because Nicolaus Copernicuss research lead to how, not only our solar
system, but our galaxy, and the rest of the Universe is understood and still studied.
I found all of my research through the internet, during given research time in class and
after school. The most useful resource I used was a PDF file of Nicolaus Copernicuss book, On
the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres. This was Nicolaus Copernicuss theories of the planets,
solar system, and universe. This, being a primary source was of course where I got a good chunk
of my information. Another useful source was a biography on Nicolaus Copernicus, on the
website Biography.com. This source provided information on Nicolaus Copernicuss education,
theories, and his life in general.
The only problems I ran into were simple things, one being well procrastination! I also
had trouble figuring out how to put my process paper and annotated bibliography in the right
format on the website but obviously I figured that out (sort of). Other than those things it was
just a matter of finding accurate information, actually reading through it, and gathering the will
power to actually get out of bed and put the website together.
Nicolaus Copernicus and His Views on Astronomy match this years National History
Day theme because Nicolaus Copernicus choose not to blindly follow common beliefs without
evidence. Though the entire public, as well as the Roman Catholic Church and its leaders were
against Copernicus he still conducted in depth research on the planetary movements and even
managed to publish a series of book based on that research.