Tycho Brahe (1546-1601)

Tycho Brahe was born in Skane, Denmark on December 14, 1546. A Danish nobleman, he studied philosophy in Copenhagen at the young age of 13. He was a royal astronomer for Frederick II of Denmark and imperial mathematician to Emporer Rudolph II in Prague. Fascinated by stars and the courses of the planets, he built an observatory on the small island, Hveen, given to him by the Danish king. During his celestial studies, he witnessed a supernova, the explosive death of a star.

After his death in 1601, his understudy Johannes Kepler continued along with his studies. With the help of Brahe's exceptionally accurate observations, Kepler formulated groundbreaking laws of planetary motion.

Interesting facts:

• Lost part of his nose in a duel

• Died from mercury poisoning

• He spent what would today be $17 billion on research

• Published De Nova Stella

• Invented several astronomical instruments

• Has a moon crater named after him

Works Cited:

Tycho Brahe Homepage. Tycho Brahe Society. 13 Sept. 2006. <http://www.nada.kth.se/~fred/tycho/index.html>.