Astro2110 – The Solar System

My Chosen Astronomer:

Isaac Newton (1642 – 1727) acted as the individual who tied together all the theory and observations of the astronomers that came before him. His invention of calculus and other mathematical accomplishments allowed him to apply these new concepts to the perceived circular motion of the planets and moon to develop his theory of gravity. This discovery of gravity finally provided a mechanism by which the motion of the celestial bodies could be explained and validated the observations and theories of previous astronomers.

Historical Events During Newton’s Life:

In 1665 when Newton was only 23, the Great Plague of London broke out. An epidemic of the bubonic plague, it killed roughly 70,000 people in London, and forced Newton to retire to his family home in Woolsthorpe. It was there that he worked extensively on his research. Later on in 1692, while Newton was just turning 50, over in what would become the United States, the Salem Witch Trials were taking place, where roughly 200 people were accused of witchcraft and about 20 of them were killed as punishment.

Another Historical Figure:

Newton lived during the same generation as King Louis XIV of France, who was born in 1638 and died in 1715. Louis XIV took the throne of France at the age of 5 and proceeded to have the longest reign of any monarch in European History, acting as monarch of France for over 72 years. He is attributed with consolidating power in France and moving away from a feudal society.

Reflection:

What I found especially interesting about learning about this context is how close together so many of these astronomers lived. I think I always kind of assumed that each astronomer was the lone great mind during their time period, never interacting with other notable individuals. However, as has become clear, many of these great astronomers like Kepler, Galileo, and Brahe all lived in such a time when they could communicate with each other. I imagine having other great minds to communicate with and bounce ideas off of helped contribute greatly to their individual works. Additionally, it seems like many of these great astronomers made some of their great accomplishments/discoveries as young as their 20s. It is crazy to consider that Newton, for example, was discovering gravity at an age not that much older than us. It simultaneously makes me feel like a disappointment and yet also realize I might be able to do more than I initially thought.

Sir Isaac Newton born December 25 1642, died March 20 [March 31], 1727

During Newton’s life two major events that occurred were the bubonic great plague and the Renaissance. The bubonic plague killed 75,000 people in England, black rats and fleas brought the disease back to the country. Whole towns of people died and people would die and be left in the streets. The renaissance was a rediscovering of classical literature and philosophy. During this time there was a shift on a bigger focus on learning and understanding. Most of the greatest philosophers are from this time period.

Another famous person alive during this time period was William Penn, who was the founder of Pennsylvania and most famously known for his part in the Society of Friends(most famously known as the quakers). Penn preached things way ahead of his time, like democracy and equality for all. He showed this by being very well liked by the Native Americans who he crossed paths with. To this day he still has an effect on society with quaker groups still being around today as well as school dedicated to his ideas.

I thought what was interesting was how really bad things turned into really good things. If there was no Bubonic plague there is a very high chance Newton wouldn’t have become the Newton we know. One small event altered everything which forced Newton to go into isolation for a time period where he came out with ideas and concepts that we still use today. What that shows is how everything happens for a reason. Newton needed this isolation to become the hero he is to science, and because of the plague he got this

Isaac Newton (January 4, 1643- March 31, 1727)

In 1693 the College of William and Mary was founded. William and Mary was the second college to be founded in the United States so education in this way was a fairly new concept. In 1707 the Acts of Union were passed to form the United Kingdom between England and Scotland. This union formed the kingdom of Great Britain.

The Dutch artist Rembrandt was alive in this time period from 1606 to 1669. Rembrandt was most well known for his paintings of biblical figures and scenes.

Learning about this context in which Isaac Newton lived is very interesting because it is very easy to separate history into sections in your mind instead of recognizing that it all occurred at the same time. Isaac newton and Rembrandt are not two people that I would have thought lived at the same time because I would have imagined Rembrandt being from a much earlier time period than Newton because it is hard to imagine such significant scientific discoveries being made at this time period where they had none of the advanced technology for scientific research that we have now.

Sir Isaac Newton, born December 25, 1642 and died March 20, 1727, significantly influenced the fields of mathematics, science, and mechanics. Of his greatest scientific contributions was his formulation of the laws of motion, theories pertaining to the effects of external forces applied on objects in motion. The construction of these laws would contribute to the basis of physics. These three laws stating, 1st: that a body in motion will remain in motion and a body at rest will remain at rest unless an external force acts upon it, 2nd: force is equal to the mass of an object multiplied by the object’s acceleration, 3rd: every action in nature has an equal and opposite reaction. 

During Isaac Newton’s lifetime, Bacon’s rebellion occurred. This was a revolt, led by Nathaniel Bacon, in the relatively newly formed colony of Jamestown. Also in 1651, Thomas Hobbes published Leviathan, a text that discussed the idea of the “social contract” and position of citizen and government. This work greatly influenced the enlightenment period and enlightenment thinkers. 

Johann Sebastian Bach, born March 31, 1685, and died July 28, 1750, is one of the most iconic classical music composers. He too was alive during Isaac Newton’s lifetime. Bach is the composer of some of the most famous pieces of classical music like Brandenburg Concertos and Orchestral Suite. And although you may not recognize the names of some of his pieces you would probably recognize the sound. 

Often when learning historical events, the time and surrounding context of that information are lost. For example, just within the 5 astronomers, we studied, It is easy to believe that they all lived separately and came to their conclusion independently in completely different time periods, however after looking at their lifespan’s you can see that these events and achievements all happened in relatively similar times. Specifically, when looking at Isaac Newton, I thought it was incredibly interesting that his lifetime also overlapped with things like the Enlightenment period and the beginning of the Colonization of American as well as the seeds of the American revolution. These are pieces I had previously not linked together.