Heliocentric

Stargazing

I climbed the stairs to the room of Copernicus, like I did every night, clutching new candles. I gazed out of the windows as I passed them, to see the stars start showing themselves to me. I reached the door which opened to Copernicus's study. It was my favorite place in the building with its large balcony where the astronomer sat to observe and the high ceilings that made me feel small.

I maneuvered around stray books and scribbled out drawings and writings. Some days I hide up here to read his discarded theories to practice my Polish. I had moved here to stay with one of my mother's friends two years ago in 1512 when Henry VIII started to persecute the Catholics. I have gotten better, but whenever I engage with Copernicus, I never understand the fancy scientific words.

"Oh hello," I heard Copernicus from the balcony and I dodged through the sea of educational hullabaloo to see him properly. He sat at his table that leaned against the wall and glanced periodically at the sky but greeted me with a kind smile and wave.

"Hello, I'm here to replace your candles," I said slowly, to try to get the Polish correct. I leaned over the table to grab the small burning stubs to light the new ones before replacing them. I glanced down at his writings and immediately recognized Ptolemy's model ("Figure") among his papers.

"Oh, I understand this one!" I stated proudly, after relighting the candles. They cast a new bright light over the man and his studies.

"That's good," Copernicus said looking from the stars to me, "do you see the problems with it as well?"

"I don't think I do," I trailed off, confused.

"Well, at least look at the planets," he shuffled through his works before stretching out what looked like a new model in his half-finished handwriting, "assuming the Earth moves, each planet falls into a sidereal period based on their rotation of the sun." 

"I'm sorry, what was the one phrase after you said something about planets falling?" I questioned, not understanding the words.

"Oh right, the sidereal period is the time required of a planet to completely revolve around its fixed point, which in this case is the sun," he answered, pointing to his model as he spoke.

I nodded, "But you made the sun the center of the universe," I accused, "and the Earth and moon are all wrong." I was quite familiar with the original model I was shown. My father had preached on it once back in England. What Copernicus was saying was not right. Does he not remember the heavenly bodies here on Earth? We have to be the center of the universe.

"I firmly believe that the Sun is the center of the universe, Joan, and I know this goes against what you and the church think, but I think it's wrong."

"So your research here is trying to prove God wrong?" I decided, aghast.

"No, that's not what I intend to do, what I hope to do is research my heliocentric theory and prove it is correct," he sat back satisfied. I think he was trying to keep the peace between us, but I don't know how I feel about what he was saying.

"But how do you explain the stars changing?" I prodded, looking up to the expanse of sky spread out above us. The stars are my favorite part of God's kingdom, and I worry what Copernicus would say.

"Ah yes," he stood from his chair and strode over to the railing and gazed out, "my favorite part of the sky." I walked over to stand next to him and leaned against the railing with my arms crossed and listened, "The only reason we see the stars change is also because of the Earth's rotations. They are fixed in the sky." 

I shook my head, "What proof do you have of these claims?" I looked at him.

"Well," he rubbed the back of his neck and turned around and walked back to his seat while I trailed behind, "that's what I intend to find. Then hopefully publish my findings to the world. I already plan to publish these," he again searched through the pile of papers until coming up with a specific one.

"This is the first part of my book I plan to publish on my theories including what we discussed tonight," he said and handed the paper to me, " it's called Commentariolus."

It took a bit to decipher the language and his educated handwriting, but I could see a few postulates that he had described to me. I set it down before him and leaned against the tabletop to his right. "You know that the church won't like this, and by occasion, you?"

He grew silent and folded his hands in his lap. "I am prepared for the effects it will have on me, I assure you."

"Are you sure?" I demanded, almost becoming hysterical, "because I narrowly escaped being burned at the stake in England because I didn't believe in the King's new religion! This is going against what most people have believed for years! If people agree with you, they will meet the same fate as my family. This will disrupt society!"

He looked up at me in sympathy, "I understand all the consequences Joan, but I can't just sit on the fact that what most people believe about the world and the universe is wrong."

"What about the men of education? Do you think they will spend all their time trying to prove you wrong? Or just go down easily?"

"I hope that some of the men will join me in research but I think more people will spend more time studying the universe. Even if it's to prove me wrong, more people will care."

"You'll make waves in society with the publishing of these theories, Copernicus," I threw up my hands and smiled a bit, "I apologize. I came up here to replace your candles and ended with telling you the problems with your theories."

"No, I appreciate that you would say these things without fear," he responded warmly.

"Have a good night with your studies," I told him as I walked away back to the door I had entered before our discussion.

"Your Polish has improved," I heard him call to me. I turned and smiled at the figure framed by the stars and sky shining dimly behind him.

"Thank you," I replied and exited the study.