Do not hurry to search the web for information about when did these great scientists visit Kyiv or Ukraine ... Unfortunately, none of them have been here. It's about something else: how and when the doctrine of Copernicus and Newton's theory was learned in Kyiv and Ukraine, how they were remembered and respected here today.
It makes no sense to retell the biographies of scientists, as the man who "stopped the Sun and moved the Earth" and the one who "saw farther than others because standing on the shoulders of giants" were described in textbooks, encyclopedias, dictionaries, and in the scientific literature hundreds of times.
Of course, the main memory of the scientist - is that his work reprinted and read, and his theories, methods and laws are still in use. It is worth noting that not so many do so much in science. Name Nicholas Copernicus was given to the system of the world, the scientific revolution, the principle, period in the history of the moon. Newton’s name was given to eight theorems, seven physical laws, three equations, five formulas, one constant, one unit of measurement, six methods, algebraic fractal, certain optical vision, mechanical system, function, state of fluid, mechanics section, temperature unit, the telescope system ...
But it is difficult for new ideas to get a recognition in science. Nicholas Copernicus (1473-1543) more than 40 years was working on the main business of his life. The handwritten draft of his theory he began to spread among friends in 1503, and his book "On the rotation of celestial spheres» («De Revolutionibus Orbium Coelestium») was printed when he was dying. In the 1616-1835 this book was listed in the Index of prohibited books of the Roman Catholic Church.
Isaac Newton (1642-1727), when he was only 29 years old, became a member of the London Royal Society (Academy of Sciences) thanks to his talent of the theoretician and experimenter. However due to attacks, criticism and misunderstanding of colleagues he concealed his thoughts more than 10 years. And his famous "Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy", which marked the beginning of physics as a science, although it received the approval of the Royal Society, were printed at the expense of his friend astronomer Halley, because the Society did not have funds for the publication ...
And yet – how the people in Ukraine got the knowledge of them? It is known that Copernicus was personally acquainted with Ukrainians, who studied with him at the Universities of Cracow, Bologna and Padua. Nicholas Copernicus acquired astronomical knowledge in the famous Astronomical European School, one of the few at the time in the world of astronomy departments in Krakow (Jagiellonian) University, founded by Martin King (1422-1453), born in a village near Przemysl and Żurawica and more known as Martin Rusin or Martin from Ruthenia.Many Ukrainian studied from Martin Rusin. The most known of them - Jakov from Zalissia of Ivan Broshka of Podlasie, Mykola from Shadok, Michael from Dovhopillya, Ambrose from Bardiyev, Gregory from Nove Selo, Bernard Vapovsky from Radohonets and Yuri Kotermak from Drohobych. The last one became later the teacher of Nicholas Copernicus. To create evidence of his heliocentric system Copernicus asked his close friend at the university Vapovsky Bernard (1475-1535), who became famous as a cartographer and mathematician, perform mathematical calculations of planets around the sun.
The request was performed in a small village near Przemysl and really helped the formation of the theory, which turned world vision of humanity.
There is strong evidence that the students of the first higher education institution in Eastern Europe - Ostrog school (1576-1640), were already well aware of the heliocentric doctrine of Polish astronomer. The teachers were among people who studied at the University of Padua.
First documented summary of the Copernicus system in Ukraine belongs to 1647 - the philosophical branch of physics course rector of Kyiv-Mohyla Collegium Innocent Gisela (Opus totius philosophiae). He read it to College students in 1646-1647. There is in the course the detailed description of "view of Copernicus, who believed that the heavens and the sun does not revolve and the sun is the real center of the universe, so that the earth rotates, describes a circle around the Sun and in the manner creates days and years. "
We also know that Ukrainians of the first half of XVII century were pioneers in spreading the heliocentric doctrine in Eastern Europe. Yepyfaniy Slavinetsky, Ukrainian poet and monk, translator, scholar, orator, theologian, professor of Kyiv-Mohyla Collegium in the 40's XVII moved in 1649 with the cultural mission to Moscow, translated and published there with another Ukrainian from Kyiv Arseniy Satanivskyi cosmological work of Johann Bleu "Theatrum orbis terrarum" (Amsterdam, 1645), which not only objectively, but graciously submitted Copernican theory.
Theophanes (Eleazar) Prokopovych Ukrainian theologian, writer, poet, mathematician, philosopher, rector of the Kyiv Academy (1710-16), Archbishop Velykonovhorodskyy and Velykolutskyy, in his lectures acquainted students with the teachings of Copernicus and began teaching of Higher Mathematics. Gregory Skovoroda (1722-1794) argued with official religious doctrine and actively promoted the doctrine of Copernicus.
Ivan Yakymovych Falkovsky more known as Irenaeus (1762-1823) - a scholar, writer, historian, mathematician, geographer, astronomer, rector of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, Bishop Chigirin, Smolensk and Dorohobuzk, for 21 years he taught algebra, geometry, astronomy, architecture and mixed mathematics - hydraulics, optics, as well as history, geography, poetry, German, philosophy and theology. He opened the first in the Academy of Mathematics and Physics study, where terrestrial and celestial globes, spheres Copernicus telescope astrolabe and more were presented. It was there one began to get acquainted with the ideas of Isaac Newton. In the second half of the XVIII century even special classes of pure mathematics were opened, where algebra and geometry were taught, as well as mixed mathematics - mechanics, hydrostatics, hydraulics, optics, trigonometry, astronomy, hydrography, and mathematical chronology, civil and military architecture.
With the opening in Kyiv University of St. Vladimir the department of astronomy and geodesy, which actually functioned from 1834, it began accumulate astronomical library. The books of Copernicus and Newton together with part of Olbers library, which was donated to the newly created University Astronomical Observatory by Russian Academy of Sciences, came to this library. Students astronomers had and have the opportunity to touch the origins of the geocentric theory and Newtonian mechanics as literally true, and in a figurative sense.
which in 1840 together with part of the library Olbers, Russian Academy of Sciences purchased and donated to the newly created University Astronomical Observatory, and were Copernicus book edition 1543 and "Beginning" Newton. Students-astronomers had and have the opportunity to touch the origins of the geocentric theory and Newtonian mechanics as literally true, and in a figurative sense.
It should be noted, that the complete collection of Copernicus was published in Warsaw only in 1854 in Latin and Polish. While the said book was translated in many languages and reprinted many times. Last iconic Russian edition books of Copernicus and Newton saw the light at the end of 2012. Unfortunately, till now they are not printed in Ukrainian language.
In many cities around the world streets and squares were named after the prominent Polish-German astronomer and mathematician. In Ukraine, Kyiv ( the street near Lukyanivka was named in 1973), Lviv (from 1871), Lutsk, Rivne, Ternopil (from 1939), Chernivtsi, and Kostopol Zdolbunov (in Rivne region), Stakhanov (Lugansk ), Mukachevo (Transcarpathia), Sambor (Lviv). Isaac Newton streets are in Kharkiv, Krivoy Rog, Rivne, Vinnytsia.
These names and these outstanding personalities are not forgotten in today's busy life. However, not so many people are familiar with difficult fates of the real devotees of science. Check out more about them - you will find a lot of interesting also for today; traveling the world, do not be lazy to pay a tribute of respect to the human mind, where they are worshiped.