IAWYC, but note that Copernicus pointed out a real problem with the existing Aristotelian theory. The physics (or natural philosophy) underlying Ptolemy said that the minds associated with the heavens, by contemplating perfect activity, moved in regular circles. If you try to take these motions literally, it doesn't work - you need a non-circular motion to turn the "equant" into a mechanical explanation. While we could easily hand-wave this, it still made sense to look for other explanations. So Copernicus had something besides pure luck going for him.