STARS: A Timeline of Famous Astronomers

By MadsMartin
  • Period: Feb 19, 1473 to May 24, 1543

    Nicolas Copernicus

    • Renaissance polymath
    • Born and died in Royal Prussia, a region that had been part of the Kingdom of Poland since 1466
    • Copernicus' hypothesis had significant implications for later Scientific Revolution pioneers such as prominent figures like Galileo, Kepler, Descartes, and Newton
    • His theories were not widely accepted until his model was verified by Galileo's study in 1632
  • Copernicus formulates his heliocentric model of the universe.
    1510

    Copernicus formulates his heliocentric model of the universe.

    By 1510 Copernicus had formulated a model of the universe that placed the Sun rather than the earth at its center (a heliocentric model of the universe).
  • Copernicus publishes his heliocentric model of the universe.
    1543

    Copernicus publishes his heliocentric model of the universe.

    The publication of his heliocentric model in his book On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres (1543) was a major event in the history of science.
  • Period: Feb 15, 1564 to

    Galileo Galilei

    • Italian scientist
    • Galileo made significant achievements to the field of astronomy motion, strength of materials, as well as the development of the scientific method
  • Period: Dec 27, 1571 to

    Johannes Kepler

    • German astronomer
    • Key figure of the Scientific Revolution
    • Strong defender and supporter of Copernicus (like Galileo)
    • He discovered that the planets rotated in elliptic orbits rather than perfect circles, as Copernicus had assumed
  • Kepler publishes his first and second laws on planetary motion.

    Kepler publishes his first and second laws on planetary motion.

    He discovered these laws by analyzing the astronomical observations of Tycho Brahe.
  • Galileo aims his telescope at the moon.

    Galileo aims his telescope at the moon.

  • Kepler publishes his third law on planetary motion.

    Kepler publishes his third law on planetary motion.

    These laws made him an astronomy giant.
  • "Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems" (Galileo).

    "Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems" (Galileo).

    Galileo publishes the controversial book "Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems". He's called to Rome to defend his writings during the Roman Inquisition.