The iconic frontispiece to the Rudolphine Tables celebrates the great astronomers of the past: Hipparchus, Ptolemy, Copernicus, and most prominently, Tycho Brahe Nicolaus Copernicus (February 19, 1473 – May 24, 1543) The astronomer Copernicus: Conversation with God. Painting by Jan Matejko Copernican System This drawing illustrates the theory of astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus that the Sun is the center of our solar system. Copernicus came up with his theory in the 16th century. Later astronomers proved his ideas were correct