Tag Archives: history

Historical Astronomers in Context

Posted on February 4, 2018 by Caroline Henning

Johannes Kepler (1571-1630) was a German mathematician and astronomer who established the laws of planetary motion. He worked as Tycho Brahe’s apprentice. Although the two had a strained relationship, Kepler’s ability to find mathematical relationships among data proved the perfect complement to Brahe’s unparalleled observation skills. Through his work with Brahe’s observations, Kepler founded the … Continue reading Historical Astronomers in Context → Continue reading →

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Naming the Moons

Posted on March 27, 2017 by brynnabhall

For my mother’s 50th birthday, we bought her a star. Though arbitrary, I remember the immense amount of pressure that I felt when I was trying to give the star a name, knowing that (at least in our household) I was participating in the excavation of the final frontier, putting a little mark in my … More Naming the Moons Continue reading →

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Blog #2

Posted on March 1, 2017 by zhengastronomy

When you head outside at night to watch the stars and contemplate your own insignificance in the universe, you are partaking in a ritual that has spanned the length of all human existence. By watching the stars and planets in the sky, our ancestors were able to derive a great many advancements that we currently … Continue reading Blog #2 Continue reading →

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The Invention of the Telescope

Posted on February 14, 2017 by pkunetz97

Galileo was the first astronomer to use a telescope to observe the moon, the phases of Venus, and the largest four moons of Jupiter. In fact, Galileo was the first astronomer to use a telescope for anything because he was the dude who invented it. He first heard about a dutch inventor who put curved […] Continue reading →

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A Brief History Lesson

Posted on February 14, 2017 by liuy54

Most people, when hearing the phrase, “history of astronomy,” probably immediately envision the Stonehenge, or some ancient relic that had to do with the alignment of the stars. However, many seem to forget, or ignore the fact that up until very recently (some 500 years ago),  there were great debates on the different models of […] Continue reading →

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Archaeoastronomy: The Anthropology of Astronomy

Posted on February 5, 2017 by brynnabhall

On the Center for Archaeoastrony’s website, they differentiate their science as “the anthropology of astronomy” rather than “the history of astronomy.” By studying the influences that astronomy has had (frequently, it seems, through the study of archaeological sites) on the humans and cultures who were studying the stars and attempting to reason with that which … More Archaeoastronomy: The Anthropology of Astronomy Continue reading →

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Our Miniature History, the Cosmic Calendar, and Understanding One’s Place

Posted on February 2, 2017 by brynnabhall

When considering the greater span of history, starting with my first Astronomy class taught by Professor Weintraub “How Old Is the Universe?” the concept of the nature of time in space has fascinated me. I think part of this relates to the fact that I am a history major and a history buff, and therefore … More Our Miniature History, the Cosmic Calendar, and Understanding One’s Place Continue reading →

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Historical Astronomers in Context: Copernicus

Posted on February 9, 2016 by lindseynestor

  Nicolaus Copernicus (February 19, 1473 – May 24, 1543) Historical events in the time of Copernicus: In 1492, when Copernicus was 19 years old, Columbus “sailed the ocean blue” from Spain and discovered America – specifically, the Caribbean islands. In 1506, when Copernicus was 33, construction began on St. Peter’s Church in Rome (and […] Continue reading →

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Tycho and His Universe

Posted on February 9, 2016 by briannagalgano

Tycho Brahe made many important contributions to astronomy in a variety of ways. He made regular observations of the heavens and tabulated that information so that other scientists (like Kepler) could use them. He engineered and calibrated his own instruments. Brahe also theorized–he made his own solar system model that incorporated both Copernicus’ and Ptolemy’s […] Continue reading →

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SCED: The Science of Perspectivism

Posted on February 6, 2016 by evinske

Hey guys! Rani and I have been talking a lot about perspective for this week’s blog. First, I wanted to think about the place historical context holds in a STEM course similar to this one. Dr. G mentioned last Tuesday that our lecture about historic science (Copernicus, Tycho, Gallileo, etc.) would likely be the last […] Continue reading →

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