What does the heliocentric theory propose?

• A. The Sun orbits the Earth, with all planets revolving around it.
• B. Copernicus proposed that the Earth and other planets revolve around the Sun, counter to church doctrine.
• C. The Moon is the center of the universe.
• D. The Earth is flat.

Answer: (A)

The Sun-centered model is what heliocentrism teaches: the Sun sits near the center of the solar system and planets, including Earth, orbit around it. This idea, proposed by Copernicus, flipped the long-held belief that the Earth is at the center and that all celestial bodies revolve around it. The option that says the Sun orbits the Earth describes the opposite view, a geocentric model, and doesn’t match heliocentrism. The other possibilities—Earth being the center of the universe or the Earth being flat—also contradict the heliocentric understanding. Embracing a Sun-centered system laid the groundwork for later advances in astronomy, helped explain planetary motions, and was supported by observations from Galileo and the laws Kepler formulated.