Final answer:
After Copernicus' death, his heliocentric model was refined and accepted, although it faced initial opposition. It took several hundred years for the model to gain widespread acceptance.
Step-by-step explanation:
After Nicolaus Copernicus' death, his model of the heliocentric theory was refined and eventually accepted. Initially, Copernicus faced opposition and his work was met with fear and anger. However, over time, Galileo's observations and evidence supported Copernicus' model, leading to its acceptance. It took almost 300 years for everyone to admit that Copernicus had been right all along.