Copernicus, Bruno, Galileo

In the 15th Century, most astronomers agreed that the Earth was the centre of the universe. This idea dated back to the Greek astronomer Ptolomy, who stated that the Earth was motionless, and that all other heavenly bodies moved in complicated patterns around the Earth. This view became the accepted view of the Catholic Church, an institution so powerful that few would dare to question it. Until Copernicus and Galileo...