The Times of Famous Astronomers

Nicolaus Copernicus

Feb 19, 1473

-Polish astronomer.
-Later in life Copernicus mostly studied the movement of stars and planets, as well as building upon the theories of Ptolemy.
-Copernicus was the first astronomer to come up with the heliocentric theory. This theory states that the Earth orbits the sun and is not the center of the universe.
Nicolaus Copernicus - World History Encyclopedia
10 Most Influential Astronomers Of All Time (astronomytrek.com)

Tycho Brahe

Dec 14, 1546

-Danish Astronomer.
-Spent most of his life correcting older tables and theories, as well as building upon them to create more accurate statements and books.
-Discovered an unknown star in the constellation Cassiopeia.
-Believed in the Copernican theory that the sun was the center of the universe, not the earth.
Tycho Brahe | Accomplishments, Biography, & Facts | Britannica
10 Most Influential Astronomers Of All Time (astronomytrek.com)

Galileo Galilei

Feb 15, 1564

-Italian Astronomer.
-Constructed the first telescope to study stars.
-Believed in many of the Copernican theories.
-Also discovered Jupiter, many different moons, and sunspots.
Galileo - Telescope, Quotes & Discoveries (biography.com)
10 Most Influential Astronomers Of All Time (astronomytrek.com)

Johannes Kepler

Dec 27, 1571

-German Astronomer.
-Worked with Tycho Brahe to study the cosmos.
-First to explain what light can do (in telescopes, how eyeglasses work, and how it can bend).
-Presented the theory that every celestial body has an elliptical orbit, not a perfect circle.
-Also created the Kepler Three Laws of Motion.
Johannes Kepler and the laws of planetary motion | Britannica
10 Most Influential Astronomers Of All Time (astronomytrek.com)

William Herschel

Nov 15, 1738

-German-British Astronomer.
-Founder of other stars and nebulas beyond our solar system.
-Discovered many things such as Uranus, theory of stellar evolution, and infrared rays of light through prisms.
William Herschel | Biography, Education, Telescopes, & Facts | Britannica
10 Most Influential Astronomers Of All Time (astronomytrek.com)

Pierre-Simon Laplace

Mar 23, 1749

-French astronomer, mathematician, and physicist.
-For most of his life he tried to apply Isaac Newton's equation of gravity to the entire solar system.
-Solved the major problem for why it seemed as if Jupiter's orbit was shrinking and Saturn's expanding.
Pierre-Simon, marquis de Laplace | Biography & Facts | Britannica
10 Most Influential Astronomers Of All Time (astronomytrek.com)

Arthur Eddington

Dec 28, 1882

-English Astronomer, physicists, and mathematician.
-Created the Fundamental Theory.
-Advanced the studies of the motion and evolution of stars and on how they live, die, and grow.
Arthur Eddington - Biography, Facts and Pictures (famousscientists.org)
10 Most Influential Astronomers Of All Time (astronomytrek.com)

Edwin Hubble

Nov 29, 1889

-Discovered that the universe is expanding.
-Discovered other cosmos much larger than the Milky Way.
-Discovered several new nebulas.
-Solved the Redshift Problem.
The Biography of Edwin Hubble (thoughtco.com)
10 Most Influential Astronomers Of All Time (astronomytrek.com)

Gerard Kuiper

1905

-Dutch astronomer.
-Discovered the Kuiper Belt.
-Predicted many things that later became true such as the surface of the moon (crunchy snow), Saturn's rings are made of ice particles, and that carbon dioxide is the most major element on Mars.
-Mostly studied the planets and their characteristics.
Gerard Kuiper (1905 - 1973) - NASA Science
10 Most Influential Astronomers Of All Time (astronomytrek.com)

Carl Sagan

Nov 9, 1934

-Was a nuclear-activist and American astronomer.
-studied theories about other life forms on other planets other than earth.
-Founded the Planetary Society, which supported outer-space travel (and not just to the moon).
Carl Sagan - Cosmos, Quotes & Books (biography.com)
10 Most Influential Astronomers Of All Time (astronomytrek.com)