Which Renaissance scientist proposed the heliocentric model of the universe?

The heliocentric model of the universe, which posits that the Earth and other planets revolve around the Sun, was primarily proposed by Nicolaus Copernicus. His revolutionary work, "De revolutionibus orbium coelestium" (On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres), published in 1543, fundamentally changed the way people viewed the universe and laid the groundwork for modern astronomy. Copernicus challenged the longstanding geocentric model, which maintained that the Earth was the center of the universe, an idea that had dominated astronomical thought for centuries.

While other scientists contributed significantly to the advancement of astronomical knowledge, Copernicus was the first to present a comprehensive framework that positioned the Sun at the center, leading to significant shifts in future scientific inquiries and debates, particularly those led by figures such as Galileo and Kepler, who further developed and provided evidence for the heliocentric model.