Copernicus’ study in the cathedral tower. Behind this room was the platform from where he made his observations of stars and planets. The big round object behind the desk is an instrument used to calculate star positions, already used by the ancient Greek astronomers.

His uncle, by now bishop of Warmia, had given him an important position at the cathedral of Frombork in northern Poland.

At first, he was very busy with church matters. His medicine study in Padua came in quite useful as his uncle fell seriously ill. He succeeded in curing him and since then the cathedral payed him a good doctor’s salary on top of his other earnings. With his uncle’s influence he could have become an important clergyman. Instead, he chose to spend as much time as possible for his studies of mathematics and astronomy. In his spare time he painted and translated Greek poems into Latin.

Copernicus made his observations of the sky from an observation platform built in the back of his house for his astronomical instruments. Most of the time, however, he was busy making calculations and checking the observations by astronomers 1000 years before him.

Read more about the revolution Copernicus started