The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1885-07-30

Tycho Brahe, the celebrated Danish
astronomer, was born December 4,
1546. at Knudstorp, in the Province Of
Scanis, which was then part of Den
mark. He came of ancient princely
family, and was educated by private
tutors In 1859 he entered the Univer-
sity of Copenhagen, being destined by
his family for the law, but his observa-
tons of an eclipse of the sun in 1860
turned his mind toward astronomy. In
1862 he was sent to Leipsic to complete
his law studies, but while there devoted
his nights to astronomical observations.
Inheriting considerable fortune from
an uncle in 1865. he was left at liberty
to pursue his astronomical experiments,
in which he was encouraged by the
Danish Government After spending
some time in study in Augsburg, he re-
turned TO Copenhagen in 1870, having
now gained quite wide reputation,
which was greatly increased in 1871 by
his discovery OF the remarkable varia-
BILE star afterwards called the "Star of
Bethlehem" Shortly after this he
married peasant girl, which gave
great ofIense to his relatives, but the
King, Frederick H.. remained his
stanch friend, and to secure to Den
mark the honor of his discoveries gave
him the island of Huena. and there
built labratory and a magnificent OBJ
servatory. The observations conducted
here by Brahe gave an impetus to the
study of astronomical science all over
Europe. and the observatory was visited
by philosophers and noted men from
all countries. After the death of Fred
erick, however, he lost pension Of
5000 crown the king had given him,
and was unable to keep up the ex-
penses OF his observatory. In 1897 he
left Denmark and went TO Germany,
where the Emperor Rudolph received
him with every mark of distinction, and
gave him residence near Prague and
a pension of 5000 forms. In 1900 the
Emperor gave him spacious mansion
in Prague, which Brahe purposed to fit
up into an observatory after the plans
of the one on the Island of Huena, but
his death, October ID, 1901, cut short
the accomplishment OF his purpose.
Tycho Brahe was one of the most indie
fatigable astronomical observers that
ever lived. He formed catalogue of
TT stars, which his pupil, afterward
the world-rencwned Kepler, increased
from his records and notes to 1000,
and his very complete observations of
the planet Mars gave this distinguished
successor the groundwork on which to
build his celebrated Laws" Tycho
Brahe did not accept the Copernican
system for this only sound theory of
the universe had to waitfor the discov-
cry of the telescope for its most con-
elusive evidence-but held the Ptolem-
aic theory, which made the earth, not
the sun, the center of the solar system.
With all his intellect and remarkable
powers, Brahe was superstitious to
the last degree, and of most violent
temper. He published four volumes
during his lifetime, and fifty years after
his death all his writings, records, and
observations were printed in series of
twenty volumes. His theories were
often at fault, owing to the imperfect
knowledge and inaccurate reasoning of
his time, but his observations were ac-
curate and careful, and recorded with
the utmost clearness, and thus proved
of the highest value in stimulating the
development of astronomical science
Inter Ocean.