Monthly Archives: February 2015

Kepler in Historical Context

Posted on February 3, 2015 by dillonkoval

Johannes Kepler Plymouth Landing: 1620 This was the arrival of the Mayflower at Plymouth Rock. A very major and early event in American history. John Napier discovers logarithms: 1614 Logarithms are integral to a lot of current scientific theory. Their discovery allows for very complex problems to be solved using fairly simple algorithms. Pope Gregory XIII : […] Continue reading →

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Historical Astronomers in Context

Posted on February 3, 2015 by robbyks

Johannes Kepler, 1571-1630 Johannes Kepler devised the three laws of planetary motion. He was the first one to state that planets followed elliptical orbits and not circular orbits. He also discovered that planets move quicker when closer to the Sun and that more distant planets orbit the Sun at slower speeds. Introduction of Gregorian Calendar, […] Continue reading →

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The “Dude” of Astronomy

Posted on February 3, 2015 by lukegchapman

Galileo Galilei (Feb 15, 1564 – Jan 18, 1642 ): is considered the Father of Astronomy. He also believed in a heliocentric universe and was forced to take back his beliefs. He also developed a telescope allowing him to view and observe planets more closely. He made major discoveries through this technology such as the… Continue reading →

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Historical Astronomers in Context

Posted on February 3, 2015 by jamej00

Isaac Newton (December 25, 1642 – March 31, 1727) When Newton was around 23 years old, the last major epidemic of Bubonic Plague in England took place, known as the “Great Plague of London.” Also, when Newton was a teenager, the Wars of the Three Kingdoms were taking place, with the conflict in Scotland having a… Continue reading →

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Astronomy and Religion in Germany: The Story of Johannes Kepler

Posted on February 3, 2015 by emilyksharp

Johannes Kepler (1571-1630) Johannes Kepler’s work began when he apprenticed for Tycho Brahe in the year preceding Tycho’s death. Kepler …

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Explore the Celestial Sphere with Star Chart!

Posted on February 3, 2015 by farhannshabab

It is a great experience to learn about the changing map of the sky; it is a more amazing experience to actually gaze at the stars and be able to relate to the knowledge of the cosmos. Unfortunately, not all of us reside in a location untainted by light pollution or by smog; a clear starry night sky […] Continue reading →

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Historical Astronomers in Context

Posted on February 2, 2015 by hbutter13

Nicolaus Copernicus (February 19, 1473- May 24, 1543) was extremely important to astronomy because he was the first person to publish a model of the universe with the Sun in the middle rather than the Earth. This went against everything everyone had ever believed up until this point and many people thought he was crazy. However, this publication then […] Continue reading →

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Historical Astronomers in Context

Posted on February 2, 2015 by Marissa LePore

Galileo’s (1564-1642)  importance in astronomy lies in his solidification of the Copernican revolution by answering all three basic objections that were rooted in Aristotelian physics and ancient Greek beliefs. First, through experimentation, Galileo showed that an object in motion stays in motion unless a force acts to stop it, which explains why objects that share […] Continue reading →

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Johannes Kepler in Context

Posted on February 1, 2015 by michellelei

Johannes Kepler (December 27, 1571-November 15, 1630) Johannes Kepler contributed significantly to the world of astronomy by finally proving that planetary orbits were not perfect circles, but ellipses. Up until his time, all astronomers insisted that the planets orbits be perfect circles because everything in the universe was created by God, and God was perfect.… Continue reading Johannes Kepler in Context Continue reading →

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Putting Copernicus into Context

Posted on February 1, 2015 by alyssasolarblog

Nicolaus Copernicus (19 February 1473-24 May 1543) Picture source Nicholas Copernicus is significant to astronomy because of his theory that the sun was at the center of the universe. While this had been proposed by Aristarchus in ancient Greece, it was not taken seriously until Copernicus published On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres, which kicked … Continue reading Putting Copernicus into Context → Continue reading →

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