A group of amateur archaeologists in northern Poland have discovered a 500-year-old compass believed to have belonged to renowned astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus, reports said on Monday.

The discovery was made in the gardens of the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary and St. Andrew, also known as Frombork Cathedral, where Copernicus spent most of his life. Popular Mechanics.

The group responsible for the find, Warmińska Grupo Exploracyna, used ground-penetrating radar to explore the cathedral grounds, which led them to a basement with three tunnels, where they found the ancient compass, the report said.

Group member Mischa Skarb described the discovery as “amazing” and said it “opens up new possibilities for understanding.” [Copernicus’] “How we work” (Related article: Treasure trove of ancient Egyptian artifacts discovered in over 60 burial sites)

Archaeologists discover 500-year-old compass that may have belonged to Copernicus https://t.co/k5N447MaLi

— Popular Mechanics (@PopMech) August 12, 2024

While there's no direct evidence that the compass belonged to Copernicus, the location of the find lends credence to the possibility: Copernicus studied at the University of Krakow in the 1490s and then took a canonical position at Frombork Cathedral, where he proposed his heliocentric theory, which revolutionized our understanding of the solar system, according to Popular Mechanics.

Even more intriguing, the compass was found close to where Copernicus' body was discovered in 2005, making the connection to the astronomer even more convincing. The compass will be sent to the Polish Ministry of Monuments and Preservation for preservation and analysis, and once that work is complete, it will be put on display at the Nicolaus Copernicus Museum.