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Category Archives: Astronomers Through History

Most of these names will be familiar to you.  These are the men (and ocassionally women) who helped advance astronomy from mere astrology to the advanced science that it is today. 

Johannes Kepler

Urban Astronomer avatarPosted on 19 May, 2016 by Megan Ray Nichols16 Aug, 2021
Portrait of Johannes Kepler

If you’ve ever heard of the Kepler Telescope, it should come as no surprise to learn that it’s named after an astronomer. The Kepler Telescope is involved in the search for habitable planets beyond our solar system — but why would it be named after an astronomer who was born in 1571? Johannes Kepler was lucky enough to be taught by some of the greatest astronomers of his time. In return, he discovered three major laws regarding how planets move. … Continue reading →

Posted in Astronomer Profiles, Astronomers Through History, Astronomy | Tagged History, Kepler | Leave a reply

Tycho Brahe

Urban Astronomer avatarPosted on 5 Apr, 2016 by Megan Ray Nichols28 Apr, 2016
Tycho Brahe

Tycho Brahe: The Wildest Astronomer Strange men are common, but strangely awesome men are not! Tycho Brahe, born Tyge Ottesen Brahe, led a most unusual life. Even from his earliest years, Brahe was simply not made to fit the mold.   If Brahe had the misfortune of being born into poverty, we might have had nothing in the history books about him. Weirdly, it doesn’t actually matter what Brahe was born into, since he was stolen from his parents at … Continue reading →

Posted in Astronomer Profiles, Astronomers Through History, Astronomy | 2 Replies

Copernicus

Urban Astronomer avatarPosted on 19 Mar, 2013 by Allen Versfeld8 Oct, 2019

Nikolaus Copernicus is commonly believed to be the father of the Solar System, the first brave soul to stand up to the orthodoxy and declare the Sun to be the centre of the universe and not the Earth.  This isn’t quite true — the bulk of the credit should go to Johann Kepler, for providing a model that not only worked but was based on physical evidence — but he did make some very important observations and he does indeed … Continue reading →

Posted in Astronomer Profiles, Astronomers Through History, Astronomy | Leave a reply

Isaac Newton

Urban Astronomer avatarPosted on 11 Mar, 2013 by Allen Versfeld28 Jul, 2016

Isaac Newton was born in 1642 in Woolsthorpe, Lincolnshire, England, and is the author of probably the most important scientific book in history.  He was a difficult man, and a genius, who spent the majority of his time pursuing heretical religious beliefs and trying to solve the great problems of alchemy – the science for which he is famous was merely a distraction.Young Isaac had an unhappy childhood.  His father, a wealthy landowner, died before he was born, and his … Continue reading →

Posted in Astronomer Profiles, Astronomers Through History, Astronomy | Leave a reply

Thales

Urban Astronomer avatarPosted on 1 Feb, 2012 by Allen Versfeld

  Thales (639-546 B.C.) was born to a wealthy family in the ancient Greek city of Miletus, in a region which is now a part of modern Turkey.  As a student he was sent to Egypt to study under the priests, who shared with him the closely guarded secret of the length of the year, the signs of the zodiac and the positions of the solstices.  He is generally considered to be the first of the Greek philosophers, as he … Continue reading →

Posted in Astronomer Profiles, Astronomers Through History, Astronomy | Leave a reply
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