PTI : New Delhi, Tue Feb 19 2013, 18:02 hrs

Renowned astronomer and mathematician Nicolaus Copernicus' birthday has been put up specially as a Google doodle on the search engine's home page to mark his 540th birthday.

Nicolaus Copernicus had devised the revolutionary concept that planets revolve around the Sun.

Born on February 19, 1473 in Poland, Nicolaus Copernicus expounded the heliocentric theory that proved the Sun lies at centre of the universe. The theory put an end to the then prevalent notion that the Sun revolves around the earth – his views were not welcomed by the Church and the astronomer was hounded for much of life.

Today's Google doodle showcases Sun at the centre of the universe and other planets revolving around it.

The third letter of Google's logo 'O' is represented by the sun in the doodle.

Nicolaus Copernicus work 'De Revolutionibus Orbium Coelestium – On the revolutions of the celestial spheres' (first edition 1543 in Nuremberg) had created a controversy as not many astrologers during that time support his heliocentric theory.

"Doodles are the fun, surprising, and sometimes spontaneous changes that are made to the Google logo to celebrate holidays, anniversaries, and the lives of famous artists, pioneers, and scientists," a Google webpage on doodles says.