De Revolutionibus Orbium Coelestium is a groundbreaking work by Nicolaus Copernicus that presents the heliocentric model of the solar system, which asserts that the Earth and other planets revolve around the Sun. This theory was revolutionary, challenging the long-standing geocentric model endorsed by the Church and the scientific community of the time. The book details Copernicus’ observations and mathematical calculations, laying the foundation for modern astronomy and shifting the understanding of the universe from an Earth-centered to a Sun-centered system.

De Revolutionibus Orbium Coelestium faced significant opposition and was placed on the Index of Forbidden Books by the Catholic Church in 1616. The book was controversial because its heliocentric model directly contradicted the geocentric view supported by the Church, which aligned with a literal interpretation of the Bible. This challenge to established religious doctrine was seen as undermining both the Church’s authority and the Biblical account of creation. The eventual ban reflected broader tensions between scientific discovery and religious doctrine during the period, marking the work as a pivotal but contentious contribution to the Scientific Revolution.