The Inquisition condemned it as heretical.

In their decree, prohibiting it, the Congregation of the Index denounced his system as "that false Pythagorean doctrine utterly contrary to the Holy Scriptures." Astronomers justly affirm that the book of Copernicus, "De Revolutionibus," changed the face of their science.

It incontestably established the heliocentric theory.

It showed that the distance of the fixed stars is infinitely great, and that the earth is a mere point in the heavens.

Anticipating Newton, Copernicus imputed gravity to the sun, the moon, and heavenly bodies, but he was led astray by assuming that the celestial motions must be circular.