Final answer:
The heliocentric model, which places the Sun at the center of the universe, is the correct term for a sun-centered conception. It replaced the geocentric model, with key support from the work of Copernicus, Kepler, Galileo, and Newton.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term that refers to a scientific conception of a sun-centered universe is heliocentric. This model was proposed by Nicolaus Copernicus in the 16th century, which drastically differed from the then-prevailing Ptolemaic or geocentric view. The geocentric model placed Earth at the center of the universe, but Copernicus's heliocentric view rightly identified the Sun as the center of the solar system. This was later substantiated by the laws of physics, including Newton's universal law of gravitation.
The shift from the geocentric to the heliocentric model was a significant milestone in human understanding of our place in the cosmos. This change was supported by subsequent developments and observations by scientists such as Tycho Brahe, Johannes Kepler, Galileo Galilei, and Isaac Newton. They provided further evidence and refined the model with additional laws, including Kepler's Laws of Planetary Motion and Newton's law of universal gravitation, which underscore the motion of celestial bodies and their attraction to the Sun.