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Isaac Newton
Laws of motion, law of universal gravitation, basis for classical physics -
William Herschel
discovered the planet Uranus, hypothesized that nebulae are composed of stars, and developed a theory ofstellar evolution -
Pierre-Simon Laplace
is highly regarded for his influential five-volume treatise “Traité de mécanique céleste” (Celestial mechanics; 1799-1825), which developed a strong mathematical understanding of the motion of the heavenly bodies, including several anomalies and inequalities that were noticed in their orbits. Laplace suggested that the nature of the universe is completely deterministic. -
Percival Lowell
was an American businessman, author, mathematician, and astronomer who fueled speculation that there were canals on Mars. -
Henrietta Leavitt
discovered the relation between the luminosity and the period of Cepheid variable stars. It was her discovery that first allowed astronomers to measure the distance between the Earth and faraway galaxies -
Willem de Sitter
came up with a solution to Einstein field equations of General Relativity, It models the universe as spatially flat and neglects ordinary matter, so the dynamics of the universe are dominated by the cosmological constant -
Albert Einstein
developed the general theory of relativity, one of the two pillars of modern physics. Einstein's work is also known for its influence on the philosophy of science -
Harlow Shapley
In 1953 he proposed his "liquid water belt" theory, now known as the concept of a habitable zone. -
Edwin Hubble
Hubble is known for showing that the recessional velocity of a galaxy increases with its distance from the earth, implying the universe is expanding, known as "Hubble's Law".
otion, law of universal gravitation, basis for classical physics -
Georges Lemaître
is usually credited with the first definitive formulation of the idea of an expanding universe and what was to become known as the Big Bang theory of the origin of the universe, which Lemaître himself called his “hypothesis of the primeval atom” or the “Cosmic Egg”. -
Fred Hoyle
is primarily remembered today for his contribution to the theory of stellar nucleosynthesis, and his often controversial stance on other cosmological and scientific matters, such as his rejection of the Big Bang theory in favour of a steady state universe and the panspermia theory of the origin of life on earth -
Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson
were co-discoverers of the cosmic microwave background radiation, which helped establish the Big Bang theory of cosmology