84-552: Tycho Brahe ( / ˈ t aɪ k oʊ ˈ b r ɑː ( h ) i , - ˈ b r ɑː ( h ə )/ TY -koh BRAH -(h)ee, - BRAH( -hə) , Danish: [ˈtsʰykʰo ˈpʁɑːə] ; born Tyge Ottesen Brahe , Danish: [ˈtsʰyːjə ˈʌtəsn̩ ˈpʁɑːə] ; 14 December 1546 – 24 October 1601), generally called Tycho for short, was a Danish astronomer of the Renaissance , known for his comprehensive and unprecedentedly accurate astronomical observations . He
168-626: A caretaker on the island. Shortly before leaving, he completed his star catalogue giving the positions of 1,000 stars. After some unsuccessful attempts at influencing the king to let him return, including showcasing his instruments on the wall of the city, he acquiesced to exile. He wrote his most famous poem, Elegy to Dania in which he chided Denmark for not appreciating his genius. The instruments he had used in Uraniborg and Stjerneborg were depicted and described in detail in his star catalogue Astronomiae instauratae mechanica or Instruments for
252-586: A cartographer with his former tutor Anders Sørensen Vedel on mapping out all of the Danish realm. An ally of the king and friendly with Queen Sophie , both his mother Beate Bille and adoptive mother Inger Oxe had been her court maids, he secured a promise from the King that ownership of Hven and Uraniborg would pass to his heirs. In 1588, Tycho's royal benefactor died, and a volume of Tycho's great two-volume work Astronomiae Instauratae Progymnasmata ( Introduction to
336-599: A civil servant, and sent him on a study tour of Europe in early 1562. 15-year old Tycho was given as mentor the 19-year-old Anders Sørensen Vedel , whom he eventually talked into allowing the pursuit of astronomy during the tour. Vedel and his pupil left Copenhagen in February 1562. On 24 March, they arrived in Leipzig , where they matriculated at the Lutheran Leipzig University . In 1563, he observed
420-486: A close conjunction of the planets Jupiter and Saturn , and noticed that the Copernican and Ptolemaic tables used to predict the conjunction were inaccurate. This led him to realise that progress in astronomy required systematic, rigorous observation, night after night, using the most accurate instruments obtainable. He began maintaining detailed journals of all his astronomical observations. In this period, he combined
504-444: A daughter Sophia Brahe . Brahe was not enthusiastic about any of his five sons learning Latin , the language of education at the time, considering it a waste of time. Instead, he arranged for them to become military leaders, brought up in courtly way, to horsemanship, and in sword fighting. The Brahe family was powerful. At one point, in a bid to expand his estate at Knudstrup, he burned the crops of seven farmers and chased them into
588-475: A few hours a month to stargazing and reading the latest developments in research. However, amateurs span the range from so-called "armchair astronomers" to the highly ambitious people who own science-grade telescopes and instruments with which they are able to make their own discoveries, create astrophotographs , and assist professional astronomers in research. Otte Brahe Otte Brahe ( Danish: [ˈotsʰə ˈpʁɑːə] ; 2 October 1518 – 9 May 1571)
672-438: A few weeks per year. Analysis of observed phenomena, along with making predictions as to the causes of what they observe, takes the majority of observational astronomers' time. Astronomers who serve as faculty spend much of their time teaching undergraduate and graduate classes. Most universities also have outreach programs, including public telescope time and sometimes planetariums , as a public service to encourage interest in
756-455: A lord of the realm, preferring to focus on his science. He wrote to his friend Johannes Pratensis, "I did not want to take possession of any of the castles our benevolent king so graciously offered me. I am displeased with society here, customary forms and the whole rubbish". Tycho secretly began to plan to move to Basel, wishing to participate in the burgeoning academic and scientific life there. The King heard of Tycho's plans, and desiring to keep
840-495: A military fortress. It was named after Urania , the muse of astronomy. Construction began in 1576, with a laboratory for his alchemical experiments in the cellar. Uraniborg was inspired by the Venetian architect Andrea Palladio . It was one of the first buildings in northern Europe to show influence from Italian renaissance architecture. When he realized that the towers of Uraniborg were not adequate as observatories, because of
924-451: A nobleman and a common woman could live together openly as husband and wife for three years, and their alliance then became a legally binding marriage. However, each would maintain their social status, and any children they had together would be considered commoners, with no rights to titles, landholdings, coat of arms, or even their father's noble name. While King Frederick respected Tycho's choice of wife, himself having been unable to marry
SECTION 10
#17327805223551008-489: A poem comparing Tycho with Apollon and Phaethon . As part of Tycho's duties to the Crown, in exchange for his estate, he fulfilled the functions of a royal astrologer. At the beginning of each year, he had to present an Almanac to the court, predicting the influence of the stars on the political and economic prospects of the year. At the birth of each prince, he prepared their horoscopes, predicting their fates. He also worked as
1092-483: A small book De nova stella , coining the term nova for a "new" star. We now classify this star as a supernova and know that it is 7,500 light-years from Earth. This discovery was decisive for his choice of astronomy as a profession. Tycho was strongly critical of those who dismissed the implications of the astronomical appearance, writing in the preface to De nova stella : "O crassa ingenia. O caecos coeli spectatores" ("O thick wits. O blind watchers of
1176-439: A specific question or field outside the scope of Earth . Astronomers observe astronomical objects , such as stars , planets , moons , comets and galaxies – in either observational (by analyzing the data) or theoretical astronomy . Examples of topics or fields astronomers study include planetary science , solar astronomy , the origin or evolution of stars , or the formation of galaxies . A related but distinct subject
1260-738: A system of stars or a galaxy to complete a life cycle, astronomers must observe snapshots of different systems at unique points in their evolution to determine how they form, evolve, and die. They use this data to create models or simulations to theorize how different celestial objects work. Further subcategories under these two main branches of astronomy include planetary astronomy , astrobiology , stellar astronomy , astrometry , galactic astronomy , extragalactic astronomy , or physical cosmology . Astronomers can also specialize in certain specialties of observational astronomy, such as infrared astronomy , neutrino astronomy , x-ray astronomy , and gravitational-wave astronomy . Historically , astronomy
1344-705: A way to disseminate results and arguments and to build progress and scientific consensus. Through correspondence, Tycho was involved in several personal disputes with critics of his theories. Prominent among them were John Craig , a Scottish physician who was a strong believer in the authority of the Aristotelian worldview, and Nicolaus Reimers Baer , known as Ursus, an astronomer at the Imperial court in Prague, whom Tycho accused of having plagiarized his cosmological model. Craig refused to accept Tycho's conclusion, that
1428-467: Is physical cosmology , which studies the Universe as a whole. Astronomers usually fall under either of two main types: observational and theoretical . Observational astronomers make direct observations of celestial objects and analyze the data. In contrast, theoretical astronomers create and investigate models of things that cannot be observed. Because it takes millions to billions of years for
1512-603: The Brahe and the Bille families , he counted the Rud, Trolle , Ulfstand , and Rosenkrantz families among his ancestors. Both of his grandfathers and all of his great-grandfathers had served as members of the Danish king's Privy Council . His paternal grandfather and namesake, Thyge Brahe, was the lord of Tosterup Castle in Scania and died in battle during the 1523 Siege of Malmö during
1596-521: The University of Copenhagen . There, following his uncle's wishes, he studied law, but also studied a variety of other subjects and became interested in astronomy . At the university, Aristotle was a staple of scientific theory, and Tycho likely received a thorough training in Aristotelian physics and cosmology. He experienced the solar eclipse of 21 August 1560 , and was greatly impressed by
1680-484: The University of Rostock . There he studied with professors of medicine at the university's famous medical school and became interested in medical alchemy and herbal medicine . On 29 December 1566 at the age of 20, Tycho lost part of his nose in a sword duel with a fellow Danish nobleman, his third cousin Manderup Parsberg . At an engagement party at the home of Professor Lucas Bachmeister on 10 December
1764-471: The 1580s. Tycho often held large social gatherings in his castle. Pierre Gassendi wrote that Tycho had a tame elk and that his mentor the Landgrave Wilhelm of Hesse-Kassel asked whether there was an animal faster than a deer. Tycho replied that there was none, but he could send his tame elk. When Wilhelm replied he would accept one in exchange for a horse, Tycho replied with the sad news that
SECTION 20
#17327805223551848-613: The Brahes and the Billes were among the most powerful noble families in Denmark during their lives. Both families owned farms, forests, and land as well as noble houses in several Danish cities including Copenhagen . They built a brick castle at Knudstrup completed in 1550. Their first child was a daughter, Lizbeth . This was followed by twin boys on 14 December 1546. However, one of the twins died before being baptized and named. The other
1932-504: The Celestial World ) and devoted to the comet of 1577, was printed at Uraniborg and some copies were issued in 1588. Besides the comet observations, it included an account of Tycho's system of the world. The third volume was intended to treat the comets of 1580 and following years in a similar manner. It was never published, or written, though a great deal of material about the comet of 1585 was put together and published in 1845 with
2016-405: The Danish king, contacting artisans and craftsmen whom the king wanted to work on his new palace at Elsinore. Upon his return, the King wished to repay Tycho's service by offering him a position worthy of his family. He offered him a choice of lordships of militarily and economically important estates, such as the castles of Hammershus or Helsingborg . Tycho was reluctant to take up a position as
2100-658: The Lutheran Reformation Wars. His maternal grandfather, Claus Bille , lord to Bohus Castle and a second cousin of Swedish king Gustav Vasa , participated in the Stockholm Bloodbath on the side of the Danish king against the Swedish nobles. Tycho's father, Otte Brahe , a royal Privy Councilor (like his own father), married Beate Bille , a powerful figure at the Danish court holding several royal land titles. Tycho's parents are buried under
2184-462: The Moon and those planets that do show such parallax. He found that the object did not change its position relative to the fixed stars over several months, as all planets did in their periodic orbital motions, even the outer planets, for which no daily parallax was detectable. This suggested that it was not even a planet, but a fixed star in the stellar sphere beyond all the planets. In 1573, he published
2268-648: The New Astronomy ) was published. The first volume, devoted to the new star of 1572, was not ready, because the reduction of the observations of 1572–73 involved much research to correct the stars' positions for refraction , precession , the motion of the Sun etc., and was not completed in Tycho's lifetime. It was published in Prague in 1602–1603. The second volume, titled De Mundi Aetherei Recentioribus Phaenomenis Liber Secundus ( Second Book About Recent Phenomena in
2352-545: The PhD level and beyond (as of 2024). Contrary to the classical image of an old astronomer peering through a telescope through the dark hours of the night, it is far more common to use a charge-coupled device (CCD) camera to record a long, deep exposure, allowing a more sensitive image to be created because the light is added over time. Before CCDs, photographic plates were a common method of observation. Modern astronomers spend relatively little time at telescopes, usually just
2436-658: The church's approval, and his prohibiting the local priest on Hven to include the exorcism in the baptismal ritual. Among the accusations raised against Tycho were his failure to adequately maintain the royal chapel at Roskilde, and his harshness and exploitation of the Hven peasantry. Tycho became even more inclined to leave when a mob of commoners, possibly incited by his enemies at court, rioted in front of his house in Copenhagen. Tycho left Hven in 1597, bringing some of his instruments with him to Copenhagen, and entrusting others to
2520-543: The comet dealt with the astrological and apocalyptic aspects of the comet. Tycho rejected the prophesies of his competitors. Instead, he made his own predictions of dire political events in the near future. Among his predictions was bloodshed in Moscow, and the imminent fall of Ivan the Terrible by 1583. The support that Tycho received from the Crown was substantial, amounting to 1% of the annual total revenue at one point in
2604-565: The comet inspired him to try to develop an alternative Copernican model, in which the Earth was immobile. Tycho Brahe's comet observations challenged the prevailing theory of solid celestial spheres. With the comet likely traveling between Mercury and Venus, the notion of these rigid spheres became untenable. It suggested a vast emptiness where objects like the comet, potentially quite large, could move freely and exhibit properties unlike those previously understood. The second half of his manuscript about
Tycho Brahe - Misplaced Pages Continue
2688-429: The comet of 1577 had to be located within the aetherial sphere, rather than within the atmosphere of Earth. Craig tried to contradict Tycho by using his own observations of the comet, and by questioning his methodology. Tycho published an apologia (a defense) of his conclusions, in which he provided additional arguments, as well as condemning Craig's ideas in strong language for being incompetent. Another dispute concerned
2772-473: The comet's tail was always pointing away from the Sun. He calculated its diameter, mass, and the length of its tail, and speculated about the material it was made of. Through nightly observations of the comet, Tycho Brahe estimated its closest approach to Earth at about 230 times the Earth's radius. He also analyzed its motion, suggesting an orbit located between Mercury and Venus. At this point, he had not yet broken with Copernican heliocentrism , and observing
2856-425: The coming apocalypse. Several Danish amateur astronomers observed the object and published prophesies of impending doom. Tycho was able to determine that the comet's distance to Earth was much greater than the distance of the Moon, so that the comet could not have originated in the "earthly sphere", confirming his prior anti-Aristotelian conclusions about the fixed nature of the sky beyond the Moon. Tycho realized that
2940-421: The core sciences, a competency examination, experience with teaching undergraduates and participating in outreach programs, work on research projects under the student's supervising professor, completion of a PhD thesis , and passing a final oral exam . Throughout the PhD training, a successful student is financially supported with a stipend . While there is a relatively low number of professional astronomers,
3024-399: The country, and houses in Copenhagen. His estate was not fully settled until 1574. In 2007 the young Mexican scholar Juan Pablo Ortiz-Hernández edited an unknown Spanish book of songs belonging to Otte Brahe. The publication of the collection of poems was prepared by Ortiz and the hispanist Kenneth Brown and Rachel Schmidt was quoted as saying it represented "a significant contribution to
3108-514: The creation of ever more accurate instruments of measurement over the next fifteen years (1576–1591). King Frederick II granted Tycho an estate on the island of Hven and the money to build Uraniborg , the first large observatory in Christian Europe. He later worked underground at Stjerneborg , where he realised that his instruments in Uraniborg were not sufficiently steady. His unprecedented research program both turned astronomy into
3192-489: The distinguished scientist, in 1576 he offered Tycho the island of Hven in Øresund and funding to set up an observatory. Until then, Hven had been property directly under the Crown. The 50 families on the island considered themselves to be freeholding farmers, but with Tycho's appointment as Feudal Lord of Hven, this changed. Tycho took control of agricultural planning, requiring the peasants to cultivate twice as much as they had done before, and he exacted corvée labor from
3276-410: The elk had just died on a visit to entertain a nobleman at Landskrona . Apparently, during dinner, the elk had drunk a lot of beer, fallen down the stairs, and died. Among the many noble visitors to Hven was James VI of Scotland , who married the Danish princess Anne . He gave gold coins to the ferryman and to the builders and workers at Tycho's paper mill. After his visit to Hven in 1590, James wrote
3360-405: The end of 1570, he was informed of his father's ill health, so he returned to Knutstorp Castle, where his father died on 9 May 1571. The war was over, and the Danish lords soon returned to prosperity. Soon, another uncle, Steen Bille, helped him build an observatory and alchemical laboratory at Herrevad Abbey , where Tycho was assisted by his keenest disciple, his younger sister Sophie Brahe . Tycho
3444-522: The fact that it had been predicted, although the prediction based on current observational data was a day off. He realized that more accurate observations would be the key to making more exact predictions. He purchased an ephemeris and books on astronomy, including Johannes de Sacrobosco 's De sphaera mundi , Petrus Apianus 's Cosmographia seu descriptio totius orbis and Regiomontanus 's De triangulis omnimodis . Jørgen Thygesen Brahe, however, wanted Tycho to educate himself in order to become
Tycho Brahe - Misplaced Pages Continue
3528-474: The field is popular among amateurs . Most cities have amateur astronomy clubs that meet on a regular basis and often host star parties . The Astronomical Society of the Pacific is the largest general astronomical society in the world, comprising both professional and amateur astronomers as well as educators from 70 different nations. As with any hobby , most people who practice amateur astronomy may devote
3612-489: The field. Those who become astronomers usually have a broad background in physics, mathematics , sciences, and computing in high school. Taking courses that teach how to research, write, and present papers are part of the higher education of an astronomer, while most astronomers attain both a Master's degree and eventually a PhD degree in astronomy, physics or astrophysics . PhD training typically involves 5-6 years of study, including completion of upper-level courses in
3696-647: The first modern science and also helped launch the Scientific Revolution . An heir to several noble families, Tycho was well educated. He worked to combine what he saw as the geometrical benefits of Copernican heliocentrism with the philosophical benefits of the Ptolemaic system , and devised the Tychonic system , his own version of a model of the Universe, with the Sun orbiting the Earth, and
3780-551: The floor of the church of Kågeröd , four kilometres east of Knutstorp Castle . Tycho was born on 14 December 1546, at his family's ancestral seat at Knutstorp ( Knudstrup borg ; Knutstorps borg ), about 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) north of Svalöv in then Danish Scania . He was the oldest of 12 siblings, 8 of whom lived to adulthood, including Steen Brahe and Sophia Brahe . His twin brother died before being baptized . Tycho later wrote an ode in Latin to his dead twin, which
3864-560: The forest. Brahe was a close ally of the Danish king. Later in Brahe's life he became governor of Helsingborg castle (probably due to the influence of Peder Oxe ). From 1563 he was a member of the Rigsraad oligarchy (about 20 members) that ruled Denmark. Brahe fell very ill in Denmark in late 1570, and died on 9 May 1571 leaving Bille a widow. Included in his estate were 500 farms, 60 cottages, 14 mills, Knutstrup Castle, manor houses in
3948-534: The instruments' exposure to the elements and the movement of the building, he constructed an underground observatory close to Uraniborg called Stjerneborg (Star Castle) in 1584. This consisted of several hemispherical crypts which contained the great equatorial armillary, large azimuth quadrant, zodiacal armillary, largest azimuth quadrant of steel and the trigonal sextant. The basement of Uraniborg included an alchemical laboratory, with 16 furnaces for conducting distillations and other chemical experiments. Unusually for
4032-464: The law, like most of his kinsmen, and although Denmark was still at war with Sweden, his family supported his decision to dedicate himself to the sciences. His father wanted him to take up law, but Tycho was allowed to travel to Rostock and then to Augsburg , where he built a great quadrant , then Basel , and Freiburg . In 1568, he was appointed a canon at Roskilde Cathedral , a largely honorary position that allowed him to focus on his studies. At
4116-637: The main proponents of the Tychonic model and Tycho's replacement as royal Danish astronomer, Peder Flemløse, Elias Olsen Morsing, and Cort Aslakssøn . Tycho's instrument-maker Hans Crol formed part of the scientific community on the island. Tycho observed the great comet that was visible in the Northern sky from November 1577 to January 1578. Within Lutheranism, it was commonly believed that celestial objects like comets were powerful portents, announcing
4200-694: The majority of their time working on research, although they quite often have other duties such as teaching, building instruments, or aiding in the operation of an observatory. The American Astronomical Society , which is the major organization of professional astronomers in North America , has approximately 8,200 members (as of 2024). This number includes scientists from other fields such as physics, geology , and engineering , whose research interests are closely related to astronomy. The International Astronomical Union comprises about 12,700 members from 92 countries who are involved in astronomical research at
4284-433: The mathematician Paul Wittich , who, after staying on Hven in 1580, taught Count Wilhelm of Kassel and his astronomer Christoph Rothmann to build copies of Tycho's instruments without permission from Tycho. Craig, who had studied with Wittich, accused Tycho of minimizing Wittich's role in developing some of the trigonometric methods used by Tycho. In his dealings with these disputes, Tycho made sure to leverage his support in
SECTION 50
#17327805223554368-412: The most extensive and accurate catalog of stellar positions up to that time. Tycho Brahe's observations and calculations at Uraniborg allowed him to lay the groundwork for astronomers in the future. Despite the success Tycho Brahe had on Hven, he eventually left the island after a disagreement with the new king of Denmark, Christian IV. In 1597, Tycho Brahe moved to Prague, where he continued his work and
4452-411: The observations of this comet. While at Uraniborg, Tycho maintained correspondence with scientists and astronomers across Europe. He inquired about other astronomers' observations and shared his own technological advances to help them achieve more accurate observations. Thus, his correspondence was crucial to his research. Often, correspondence was not just private communication between scholars, but also
4536-404: The peasants for the construction of his new castle. The peasants complained about Tycho's excessive taxation and took him to court. The court established Tycho's right to levy taxes and labor. The result was a contract detailing the mutual obligations of lord and peasants on the island. Tycho envisioned his castle Uraniborg as a temple dedicated to the muses of arts and sciences, rather than as
4620-429: The planets as orbiting the Sun. In De nova stella (1573), he refuted the Aristotelian belief in an unchanging celestial realm . His measurements indicated that "new stars", stellae novae , now called supernovae , moved beyond the Moon, and he was able to show that comets were not atmospheric phenomena, as was previously thought. In 1597, Tycho was forced by the new king, Christian IV , to leave Denmark. He
4704-440: The primary reasons for building on the island of Hven. Seclusion was essential for accurate observation, and gave Tycho Brahe a better way to focus on his work without worrying about interruptions from other people. Seclusion was also important for observation, as there was nothing interfering with time, light, or motion observations. Tycho Brahe was a perfectionist, and by being secluded he had complete control over his research and
4788-399: The prosthesis was actually made of brass after chemically analyzing a small bone sample from the nose from the body exhumed in 2010. The prostheses made of gold and silver were mostly worn for special occasions, rather than everyday wear. In April 1567, Tycho returned home from his travels, with a firm intention of becoming an astrologer. Although he had been expected to go into politics and
4872-403: The restoration of astronomy , first published in 1598. The King sent two envoys to Hven to describe the instruments left behind by Tycho. Unversed in astronomy, the envoys reported to the king that the large mechanical contraptions such as his large quadrant and sextant were "useless and even harmful". Astronomer An astronomer is a scientist in the field of astronomy who focuses on
4956-447: The scientific community, by publishing and disseminating his own answers and arguments. Denmark what is my offense? How have I offended my fatherland? You may think that what I have done is wrong But was I wrong to spread your fame abroad? Tell me, who has done such things before? And sung your honor to the very stars? Excerpt of Tycho Brahe's Elegy to Dania When Frederick died in 1588, his son and heir Christian IV
5040-644: The sky"). The publication of his discovery made him a well-known name among scientists in Europe. Tycho continued with his detailed observations, often assisted by his first assistant and student, his younger sister Sophie . In 1574, Tycho published the observations made in 1572 from his first observatory at Herrevad Abbey. He then started lecturing on astronomy, but gave it up and left Denmark in spring 1575 to tour abroad. He first visited William IV, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel 's observatory at Kassel, then went on to Frankfurt, Basel, and Venice, where he acted as an agent for
5124-542: The study of astronomy with astrology , laying down horoscopes for different famous personalities. When Tycho and Vedel returned from Leipzig in 1565, Denmark was at war with Sweden , and as vice-admiral of the Danish fleet, Jørgen Brahe had become a national hero for having participated in the sinking of the Swedish warship Mars during the First battle of Öland (1564) . Shortly after Tycho's arrival in Denmark, Jørgen Brahe
SECTION 60
#17327805223555208-478: The time, Tycho established Uraniborg as a research centre, where almost 100 students and artisans worked from 1576 to 1597. Uraniborg contained a printing press and a paper mill, both among the first in Scandinavia, enabling Tycho to publish his own manuscripts, on locally made paper with his own watermark . He created a system of ponds and canals to run the wheels of the paper mill. Another resident of Uraniborg
5292-525: The two had drunkenly quarreled over who was the superior mathematician. On 29 December, the cousins resolved their feud with a duel in the dark. Though the two were later reconciled, in the duel Tycho lost the bridge of his nose and gained a broad scar across his forehead. He received the best possible care at the university and wore a prosthetic nose for the rest of his life. It was kept in place with paste or glue and said to be made of silver and gold. In November 2012, Danish and Czech researchers reported that
5376-435: The woman he loved, many of Tycho's family members disagreed, and many churchmen continued to hold the lack of a divinely sanctioned marriage against him. Kirsten Jørgensdatter gave birth to their first daughter, Kirstine, named after Tycho's late sister, on 12 October 1573. Kirstine died from the plague in 1576. Tycho wrote a heartfelt elegy for her tombstone. In 1574, they moved to Copenhagen where their daughter Magdalene
5460-408: The world beyond the Moon's orbit was eternally unchangeable, with celestial immutability being a fundamental axiom of the Aristotelian world-view, other observers held that the phenomenon was something in the terrestrial sphere below the Moon. However, Tycho observed that the object showed no daily parallax against the background of the fixed stars. This implied that it was at least farther away than
5544-542: The young king was more interested in war than in science, and was of no mind to keep his father's promise. King Christian IV followed a policy of curbing the power of the nobility, by confiscating their estates to minimize their income bases, by accusing nobles of misusing their offices and of heresies against the Lutheran church. Tycho, who was known to sympathize with the Philippists , followers of Philip Melanchthon ,
5628-506: Was a Danish ( Scanian ) nobleman and statesman, who served on the privy council ( Rigsraad , "Council of the Realm"). He was married to Beate Clausdatter Bille and was the father of astronomers Tycho and Sophia Brahe . Brahe was born in Tosterup to Tyge Brahe and Sophie Rud . He was nephew of Anne Rud and Henrich Krummedige . Brahe married Beate Clausdatter Bille in 1544. Both
5712-419: Was a man with dwarfism named Jeppe, whom Tycho believed had the ability to predict the future, and he allegedly was able to correctly predict the chances of recovery or death of ill people in Hven. Over the years he worked on Uraniborg, Tycho was assisted by a number of students and protegés, many of whom went on to their own careers in astronomy. Among them were Christian Sørensen Longomontanus , later one of
5796-413: Was a place where Tycho Brahe could research and analyze his previous findings, as well as explore new discoveries. Tycho Brahe was an astronomer of the pre-telescope era. Using just his naked eye, he observed the planets, moon, stars, and space and recorded everything he saw while completing a multitude of calculations daily. The location of Uraniborg was strategically chosen, with seclusion and support being
5880-434: Was accepted and supported by people of high social status. He was supported by the church. The support Tycho Brahe received from the king allowed him to continue his research and make significant contributions to the field of astronomy. In the late 16th century, Tycho Brahe built an observatory called Uraniborg. It was built on the island of Hven located between the provinces of Zealand (Sjælland) and Scania (Skåne). The island
5964-453: Was acknowledged by King Frederick II, who proposed to him that an observatory be built to better study the night sky. After accepting this proposal, the location for the Uraniborg's construction was set on an island called Hven, now Ven in the Sound not too far from Copenhagen, the earliest large observatory in Christian Europe. Tycho Brahe was highly appreciated by King Frederick II , and he
6048-550: Was among the nobles who fell out of grace with the new king. The king's unfavorable disposition towards Tycho was likely also a result of efforts by several of his enemies at court to turn the king against him. In addition to Valkendorff, Tycho's enemies included the king's doctor Peter Severinus, who also had personal gripes with Tycho. Several gnesio-Lutheran Bishops suspected Tycho of heresy – a suspicion motivated by his known Philippist sympathies, his pursuits in medicine and alchemy, both of which he practiced without
6132-422: Was born. Later the family followed him into exile. Kirsten and Tycho lived together for almost thirty years until Tycho's death. Together, they had eight children, six of whom lived to adulthood. On 11 November 1572, Tycho observed, from Herrevad Abbey, a very bright star, now numbered SN 1572 , which had unexpectedly appeared in the constellation Cassiopeia . Because it had been maintained since antiquity that
6216-486: Was defeated in the action of 4 June 1565 , and shortly afterwards died of a fever. Stories have it that he contracted pneumonia after a night of drinking with the Danish King Frederick II when the king fell into the water in a Copenhagen canal and Brahe jumped in after him. Brahe's possessions passed on to his wife Inger Oxe, who considered Tycho with special fondness. In 1566, Tycho left to study at
6300-581: Was eventually appointed by Emperor Rudolf II in 1601 as imperial mathematician. However, Uraniborg remained a significant landmark in the history of astronomy. Towards the end of 1571, Tycho fell in love with Kirsten, daughter of Jørgen Hansen, the Lutheran minister in Knudstrup. As she was a commoner , Tycho never formally married her, since if he did he would lose his noble privileges. However, Danish law permitted morganatic marriage , which meant that
6384-416: Was invited to Prague, where he became the official imperial astronomer, and built an observatory at Benátky nad Jizerou . Prior to his death in 1601, he was assisted for a year by Johannes Kepler , who went on to use Tycho's data to develop his own three laws of planetary motion . Tycho Brahe was born as heir to several of Denmark's most influential noble families. In addition to his immediate ancestry with
6468-420: Was known during his lifetime as an astronomer, astrologer , and alchemist . He was the last major astronomer before the invention of the telescope . Tycho Brahe has also been described as the greatest pre-telescopic astronomer. In 1572, Tycho noticed a completely new star that was brighter than any star or planet. Astonished by the existence of a star that ought not to have been there , he devoted himself to
6552-498: Was more concerned with the classification and description of phenomena in the sky, while astrophysics attempted to explain these phenomena and the differences between them using physical laws . Today, that distinction has mostly disappeared and the terms "astronomer" and "astrophysicist" are interchangeable. Professional astronomers are highly educated individuals who typically have a PhD in physics or astronomy and are employed by research institutions or universities. They spend
6636-635: Was named Tyge (after Brahe's father). It is for their son Tyge that Brahe is best known as he became a famous astronomer and took on the name Tycho Brahe as a teenager. Strangely, their son Tyge was kidnapped by Brahe's older brother, Jørgen , in 1548. Tycho later wrote: "without the knowledge of my parents [Jørgen took] me away with him while I was in my earliest youth. He supported me generously during his lifetime." While Jørgen took Tyge without their permission, it does not appear that Brahe and his wife strived to have him returned. Together, they had twelve children, eight of whom survived childhood including
6720-660: Was not limited by anyone else's restrictions, enabling him to develop innovative research. He could focus all of his energy on his work, without receiving any backlash or questioning from anyone. The seclusion gave him the freedom to pursue his research without limitations and paved the way for groundbreaking discoveries in the field of astronomy. Uraniborg was one of the most advanced observatories of its time, equipped with several astronomical instruments, including quadrant instruments, sextants, and astronomical clocks. Tycho Brahe's observations and calculations at Uraniborg allowed him to develop more accurate solar system models. He compiled
6804-637: Was only 11 years old. A regency council was appointed to rule for the young prince-elect until his coronation in 1596. The head of the council (Steward of the Realm) was Christoffer Valkendorff , who disliked Tycho after a conflict between them, and hence Tycho's influence at the Danish court steadily declined. Feeling that his legacy on Hven was in peril, he approached the Dowager Queen Sophie and asked her to affirm in writing her late husband's promise to endow Hven to Tycho's heirs. He realized that
6888-458: Was printed in 1572 as his first published work. An epitaph , originally from Knutstorp, but now on a plaque near the church door, shows the whole family, including Tycho as a boy. When he was only two years old Tycho was taken away to be raised by his uncle Jørgen Thygesen Brahe and his wife Inger Oxe , sister to Peder Oxe , Steward of the Realm, who were childless. It is unclear why Otte Brahe reached this arrangement with his brother, but Tycho
6972-720: Was the only one of his siblings not to be raised by his mother at Knutstorp. Instead, Tycho was raised at Jørgen Brahe's estate at Tosterup and at Tranekær on the island of Langeland , and later at Næsbyhoved Castle near Odense , and later again at the Castle of Nykøbing on the island of Falster . Tycho later wrote that Jørgen Brahe "raised me and generously provided for me during his life until my eighteenth year; he always treated me as his own son and made me his heir". From ages 6 to 12, Tycho attended Latin school, probably in Nykøbing. At age 12, on 19 April 1559, Tycho began studies at
7056-508: Was then an administrative part of Zealand. Later, after the Peace of Roskilde in 1658, Scania was conquered by the Swedes. In 1660, Hven became part of Sweden. In Tycho's time, it was all Denmark. He lived on Hven for approximately 21 years. He began to build Uraniborg in 1576 and moved there soon after. As Uraniborg was a significant and advanced observatory, it took years to complete. Uraniborg
#354645