-
Feb 19, 1473
Nicolaus Copernicus
A Polish Astronomer who lived from 1473-1543. Proved the theory of a Heliocentric Solar System. His views were rejected by the Catholic church. His work were published after his death.
http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Mathematicians/Copernicus.html
http://www.blupete.com/Literature/Biographies/Science/Copernicus.htm
photo: http://content.answcdn.com/main/content/img/scitech/HSnicolc.jpg -
Dec 14, 1546
Tycho Brahe
A Danish nobleman (1564-1601). Created the most precise instruments before telescopes for observing. He observed Supernova
and noted it did not change position relative to other stars paralax.
http://csep10.phys.utk.edu/astr161/lect/history/brahe.html
photo:http://www.nada.kth.se/~fred/tycho/Tycho_Brahe_Wandesburg_250.jpg -
Feb 15, 1564
Galileo Galilei
An Italian scientist (1564-1642). The first astronomer to use a refracting telescope. Discovered the moons of Jupiter and the phases of Venus. Supported Copernicus' theory of a Heliocentric Orbit. Persecuted by the church and was imprisoned for life.
http://www.lucidcafe.com/library/96feb/galileo.html
photo:http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aSUkE-mmqDM/TWMsG8ypPfI/AAAAAAAAAA0/SZollJSF-qU/s1600/Galileo-Galilei.jpg -
Dec 27, 1571
Johannes Kepler
A german scientist (1571-1630). He coined the term Satelite, Helped proved a geocentric orbit. Created the laws of planetary motion. Created the most exact astronomy tables.
http://www.gap-system.org/~history/Biographies/Kepler.html
photo:http://acwynn.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/johannes_kepler.jpg -
John Baptist Ricioli
Giovanni Battista Riccioli was an italian Jesuit astronomer (1598-1671). He studied the moon and created lunar maps. Worked to discredit Copernicus.
http://www.astronomy-for-kids-online.com/john-baptist-riccioli-biography.html
photo:http://bellapatton.weebly.com/uploads/2/2/3/5/2235649/1995020.jpg?112x145 -
Giovanni Cassini
An Italian astornomer (1625-1712). Studied the surface of Mars and found the ice caps. Discovered Japetus and 3 other moons of Saturn. Also discovered the gap in Saturns ring.
http://www.surveyor.in-berlin.de/himmel/Bios/Cassini-e.html
photo:http://www.nndb.com/people/258/000095970/giovanni-domenico-cassini-2-sized.jpg -
Isaac Newton
An English scientist with a wide scope of ccomplishments (1642-1727). Came up with his Three Law's of Motion and the Universal Theory of Gravity. Expanded on Kepler's laws and showed how they worked with the help of gravity.
http://csep10.phys.utk.edu/astr161/lect/history/newton.html
photo:http://astronomyandotherstuff.webs.com/photos/famous-astornomers/isaac_newton_hd.jpg
photo:http://amiree.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/isaac_newton.jpg -
Christoph Arnold
An ameutuer astronomer from Germany (1650-1695). Observed the great comets of 1683 and 1686. Observed the transit of Mercury across the sun.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christoph_Arnold
photo:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:ChristophArnold.jpg -
Edmond Halley
An english scientist (1656-1742). Mapped out stars. Calculated a comet's trajectory and when it would arrive. Later called Halley's comet.
http://messier.seds.org/xtra/Bios/halley.html
photo:http://www.our-earth.net/Images/Edmond-Halley.jpg -
Charles Messier
A French Astronomer (1730-1817). Stuidied sunspots, eclipses, and occulations. Discovered numerous comets and nebulae. Created the catalog of comet like objects that were galaxies and nebulae.
http://www.astrosurf.com/re/messier1.html
picture:http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a4/Charles_Messier.jpg/225px-Charles_Messier.jpg -
Joseph-Louis Lagrange
A French mathematician who came from Italy (1736-1813). Advanced the study of celestial mechanics. Established the meaning of the Trojan planet.
http://www2.stetson.edu/~efriedma/periodictable/html/Lr.html
http://www.solarviews.com/eng/people.htm#L
photo:http://planetfacts.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Joseph_Louis_Lagrange-400.jpg -
William Herschel
A German astronomer (1738-1822). Discovered Uranus and two of its' moons Oberon and Titania. Discovered Saturns moons Enceladus and Mimas. Coined the word asteroid.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Herschel -
Giuseppe Piazzi
An italian mathematician (1746-1826). Built an observatory. Discovered Ceras the largest asteroid in the solar system.
http://www.astropa.unipa.it/HISTORY/history.htm
Photo:http://www.astropa.unipa.it/Asteroids2001/pia_ura1.gif -
Johann Bode
A german astronomer (1747-1826). Discovered many nebulae and star clusters. Created Bodes law, used to find planetary position relative to each othe and the sun. It predicted an undiscoverd planet between Mars and Jupiter which turned out to be the asteroid belt.
http://www.astropa.unipa.it/HISTORY/history.htm -
Pierre-Simon Laplace
A French mathematician and astronomer (1749-1827). Developed theories of stability of the Solar System. Laid the way for the science of heat, magnetism, and electricity.
http://www.nndb.com/people/871/000031778/
photo:http://www.sciencephoto.com/image/104292/530wm/C0040069-Pierre_simon_laplace-SPL.jpg -
Caroline Herschel
A german astronomer, sister of William Herschel (1750-1848). Discovered three nebulae and numerous comets. The first women to discover a comet.
http://www.womanastronomer.com/caroline_herschel.htm
photo:http://webs.wichita.edu/lapo/herschel.jpg
