Animated Google Doodle celebrates astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus on his 540th birthday

Google is celebrating the 540th birthday of Nicolaus Copernicus today with one of its famous Google Doodles.

The Polish mathematician and astronomer notably developed the heliocentric model—in which the Earth and planets revolve around a stationary Sun found at the center of the Solar System.

Google often features its logo in various modifications for special events or competitions, and they have since become more commonly known as Google Doodles. Google’s animated doodle on the homepage today is a beautifully illustrated demonstration of Heliocentrism.

Check it out:

• www.google.com

Oh, and by the way, Copernicus was born in Royal Prussia on Feb. 19, 1473 and later died on May 24, 1543. Clicking today’s Google Doodle promptly searches his name, where Web surfers can then learn more about the controversial man and his memorable contributions to the world.

Google has paid homage to a multitude of birthdays, holidays, anniversaries, and inventions in recent years, but a few of the more noteworthy doodles include the 200th Anniversary of Grimm’s Fairy Tales, 161st Anniversary of Moby Dick’s First Publishing, 107th Anniversary of Little Nemo in Slumberland, 154th birthday of George W.G. Ferris Jr., and the 112th birthday of Frank Zamboni.