Copernicus
Nicolas Copernicus spent years mapping the sky before he came to the conclusion that the sun, not Earth, was at the center of the solar system. His theory put him at odds with the Bible, but Copernicus rejected the interpretation that Earth was at the center of the universe. His major work, "Six Books Concerning the Revolutions of the Heavenly Orbs," was published in 1543—the same year he died. This didn't leave much time for the church to admonish his actions.