“The centre of the system of the world is immovable.”
- January 4, 1643 – March 31, 1727
- Born in England (UK)
- Natural philosopher, mathematician, physicist, astronomer, theologian
- Proposed the laws of universal gravitation and motion, built the foundations of modern science, and systematized theories of natural philosophy and mathematics.
Quote
“The centre of the system of the world is immovable.”
Explanation
In this quote, Isaac Newton is referring to the concept of the center of the universe being stationary or immovable, a fundamental idea in his formulation of the solar system. Newton believed that the Sun was at the center of the planetary system, and that it exerted gravitational forces on the planets, causing them to revolve around it in elliptical orbits. The statement that the center of the system is immovable aligns with his view that the Sun itself was fixed in its position relative to the other bodies in the solar system, with the planets moving around it in a predictable manner. This reflects the principles laid out in his laws of motion and universal gravitation, where objects in the universe obey consistent and predictable forces.
This notion of a fixed center was also influenced by the Copernican model of the solar system, which replaced the older Ptolemaic model that placed the Earth at the center of the universe. While Newton accepted the heliocentric model in which the Sun is the center of the solar system, his work helped to refine the understanding of how the planets moved in relation to this central body. The idea of an immovable center suggests that, while the planets are in motion, the source of their gravitational pull—the Sun—remains constant in its position within the solar system.
In modern times, Newton’s concept of an immovable center has been superseded by a more dynamic understanding of the universe. The Solar System is not stationary in the vastness of space but is part of a larger galactic system that itself is in motion. The Sun, along with the entire solar system, is orbiting the center of the Milky Way galaxy, which is constantly in motion as part of the larger structure of the universe. However, the principle that the central body of a system exerts a gravitational influence on the surrounding bodies remains foundational in modern physics and astronomy. Newton’s work laid the groundwork for the study of gravitational forces and celestial mechanics, and his concept of a fixed center has evolved into the understanding of how galaxies and galactic systems move in relation to each other within the broader structure of the universe.
