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Period: 1471 to 1536
Nicolas Copernicus
This Polish astronomer stated that planets have Sun as their set point to which their movements are based off of. This interpretation of the heavens is commonly referred to as the heliocentric, or "Sun-centered system," derived from the Greek Helios, meaning "Sun." He stated that the theory of Ptolemy was over-complicated in attempting to clarify patterns that otherwise would not have made sense. Therefore, he suggested the heliocentric model that we still use today. -
Period: 1564 to
Galileo Galilei
Galileo Galilei was an Italian scientist who made significant achievements to the field of astronomy motion, strength of materials and the scientific method's development. -
Period: 1571 to
Johannes Kepler
Johannes Kepler was a strong defender and supporter of Copernicus. He modified his theory somewhat to accommodate more modern consideration, making him one of the Scientific Revolution's leading lights during the 16th and 17th centuries. He found out that the planets rotated in elliptic orbits rather than perfect circles, as Copernicus had assumed. -
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Christiaan Huygens
Christiaan Huygens, a Dutch astronomer made notable strides in physics, astronomy, and horology. He designed improved telescopes that enabled him to make many significant discoveries in astronomy. -
Period: to
Edmond Halley
Edmund Halley was an astronomer from England who calculated the comet's orbit, now called Halley's Comet. He helped Isaac Newton financially and was partially responsible for convincing him to publish his works. He is also known for his part in the publication of Isaac Newton's Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica. -
Period: to
William Herschel
William Herschel was a British composer and astronomer born in Germany, the father of sidereal astronomy, to systematically examine the cosmos. He identified Uranus and its two shining moons, Titania and Oberon; identified the moons of Saturn, Mimas, and Enceladus; found the ice caps of Mars, numerous asteroids and twofold stars and documented 2,500 deep-sky objects. The nebulae were hypothesized by him to be composed of stars, which led to the stellar evolution theory being established. -
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Johann Gottfried Galle
Johann Gottfried Galle was born in Germany. He was the first individual to view planet Neptune based on estimations by French mathematician, Urbain Le Verrier; Although, Neptune's discovery is usually attributed to Le Verrier and English astronomer John Crouch Adams, who first predicted its location. -
Period: to
Hubble, Edwin P. (Powell)
The United States astronomer, Edwin Hubble, changed the world of astronomy by demonstrating how the Planet is much greater than generally thought and by presenting empirical proof for the idea of an evolving universe in the field of interstellar astronomy. The American astronomer has made three significant contributions. -
Period: to
Stephen Hawking
His cosmology and theoretical physics theory have had an immense influence on how space is known. He has a condition known as motor neuron syndrome associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and has been enduring this syndrome right from when he was 20 years old. -
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Jocelyn Bell Burnell
Jocelyn Bell Burnell is a distinguished astrophysicist for her detection of pulsars, spinning neutron stars which tend to ‘pulse’ because beams of light emitted are only seen when facing the Earth. Her discovery is considered one of the major discoveries of astronomy in the twentieth century; her discovery was in collaboration alongside her supervisor, Antony Hewish. -
