Nicolaus Copernicus "Almagest" circa 150 CE; the Earth was the stationary center of the universe. Stars were embedded in a large outer sphere which rotated rapidly, approximately daily, while each of the planets, the Sun, and the Moon were embedded in their own, smaller spheres. Ptolemy's system employed devices, including epicycles, deferents and equants, to account for observations that the paths of these bodies differed from simple, circular orbits centered on the Earth. Copernicus' major work on his heliocentric theory was "Dē revolutionibus orbium coelestium" ("On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres"), published in the year of his death, 1543. He had
Planets of the Hainish Cycle current estimate. On the other hand, giant stars last 100 million years or so, which is much less time than Earth needed to evolve complex life. It is probable that the native humanoids are of Hainish origin, as are many other indigenous populations in the Hainish Cycle, descendents of genetically modified Hanish colonists from the ancient Hanish colonial epoch, similar to other planets in the cycle. This would account for the successful imbreeding, which should not be possible if they had evolved from completely different biospheres. In 1.5 million years, Eltanin will pass within 28 light years of Earth. At