A Brief Introduction of Nicolas Copernicus Born on Feb.19,1473,in Thorn (Torun), Poland,Copernicus is said to be the founder of modern astronomy.The son of aprosperous merchant,he was raised after his father's death by a maternal uncle.At the age of nineteen,he was sent to the University of Krakow to study mathematics, optics(光学)and canon(基督教教规)law in Italy. A Brief Introduction of Nicolas Copernicus Born on Feb. 19, 1473, in Thorn (Torun), Poland, Copernicus is said to be the founder of modern astronomy. The son of a _________ m e rc h a n t , h e wa s _____________________________. At the age of nineteen, he was sent to the University of Krakow to study mathematics, optics (光学) and canon (基督教教规) law in Italy. prosperous raised after his father’s death by a maternal uncle