The Copernican model of the solar system, proposed by Nicolaus Copernicus in the 16th century, argued for a heliocentric (sun-centered) system as opposed to the previously accepted geocentric (Earth-centered) model. In this model:
- The Earth is one of the planets that orbits the Sun.
- The planets, including Earth, revolve around the Sun in circular orbits.
- Stars are fixed points in the celestial sphere, situated much farther away than the planets, and do not orbit the Sun.
In summary, the Copernican model redefined the structure of the solar system by placing the Sun at the center, with the Earth and other planets orbiting around it, while stars remained in the background as distant objects.