-
Copernicus created a simplified heliocentric model of the universe that comflicted with the teachings of the Church.
-
Made the most precise astronomical measurements of the day, including planetary and stellar positions.
-
Studied and analyzed astronomy and physics. He discovered mountains and craters on the surface of the moon.
-
Established the laws of planetary motion.
-
Hans Lippershey submits the first recorded patent for a refracting telescope.
-
Galileo uses a refracting telescope to observe the moons of Jupiter.
-
Measured the rotational periods of Jupiter and Mars.
-
Discovered the true shape of Saturn's rings.
-
Discovered the laws of motion and gravitation.
-
Developed a theory of comet orbit that proved that the comet of 1682 was periodical.
-
Newton invents the first reflecting telescope. These telescopes use mirrors instead of lenses.
-
Newton publishes Opticks, a book describing the nature of light.
-
Discovered Uranus and its two brightest moons.
-
Was the first person to measure the distance to a star.
-
Was the first person to observe Neptune based on the calculations of Urbain Le Verrier.
-
Discovered that stars are mainly composed of hydrogen and helium.
-
Made contributions to the theories of stellar evolution and structure.
-
Karl Janky, and engineer at Bell Telephone, invents the world's first radio antenna designed for observing radio waves from space.