A More Perfect Heaven
How Copernicus Revolutionized the Cosmos

The first part of the biography might be difficult to follow if you’re not familiar with Copernicus’ life. It felt like there was a lot of jumping, and my first thought was if I weren’t familiar with his biography, I’d probably had a hard time following it. The second part is composed of two Acts of......more

This is the story of Nicolaus Copernicus and how his book, De Revolutionibus Orbium Coelestium (On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres) revolutionized astronomy. There are two facts about Copernicus that I found astounding. First, astronomy was his hobby not his occupation. Second, his book was......more

Dava Sobel spoke at the Sydney Writers' Festival last week about her latest wonderful book. She and the interviewer also performed two excerpts from her play of the conversation between Copernicus the Polish Catholic Astronomer cleric and Rheticus the young German Lutheran Mathematician who had visited......more

As with her previous two books Longitude and Galileo's Daughter, Dava Sobel draws heavily on primary sources for her latest book, A More Perfect Heaven: How Copernicus Revolutionized the Cosmos. With lengthy quotes from personal letters and contemporary records, Sobel paints a picture in words of th......more

How long I have set aside the Copernican Revolution, only to read it now, renewing my vows with Astronomy. It brings great delight and happiness to my heart reading about the man who is most probably the most important and influencing to my most beloved subject. Copernicus did not only revolutionize......more