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Johannes Kepler was born in Germany in 1571. His most important contribution to the world of astronomy is unrivaled in its importance in regards to planetary motion in our own solar system. Dubbed Kepler’s Laws of Planetary Motion, they effectively described the planet’s motions around the Sun as being elliptical with the Sun being the center, a radius vector joining any planet to the Sun sweeps out equal areas in equal lengths of time (Britannica, 2018).
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Kepler published his first two laws of planetary motion in the Astronomia Nova [New Astronomy] (Westman). Westman, Robert S. “Johannes Kepler.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 7 June 2018, www.britannica.com/biography/Johannes-Kepler/Astronomical-work.
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This image provides a visual representation of an elliptical orbit. In it, the sun acts as one of the foci. Image reference:
Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. “Kepler's Laws of Planetary Motion.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 1 Feb. 2018, www.britannica.com/science/Keplers-laws-of-planetary-motion. -
In 1621, Kepler published the first textbook of Copernican Astronomy. The Epitome Astronomiae Copernicanae. This text contained arguments for Copernicus's theory and combined them with his rules of harmonies and rules of planetary motion. Isaac Newton also used the information contained within its pages (Westman). Westman, Robert S. “Johannes Kepler.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 7 June 2018, www.britannica.com/biography/Johannes-Kepler/Astronomical-work.
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Johannes Kepler's contributions to Astronomy are still honored today. Presently, the Kepler Space Telescope orbits the earth searching for exoplanets orbiting distant stars.
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