Johannes Kepler (1571-1630)

### Born Place

Free Imperial City of Weil der Stadt, which is now part of the Stuttgart Region in the German state of Baden-Württemberg, 30 km west of Stuttgart's center

### Occupation

mathematician, astronomer, astrologer, natural philosopher, and writer on music

### Family

Father – Heinrich Kepler
Siblings – Katharina Kepler

Children – seven children, but only three of them survived to adulthood

### Best Known For

his laws of planetary motion, which he discovered in 1609 and 1619

## About

Johannes Kepler (1571-1630) was a German mathematician, astronomer, and natural philosopher who made significant contributions to the Scientific Revolution of the 17th century. Kepler is best known for his three laws of planetary motion, which he published in 1609 and 1619. These laws describe the motion of planets around the sun in elliptical orbits, with the sun at one focus. Kepler's laws of planetary motion were a significant departure from the Aristotelian view of the universe, which held that the planets moved in perfect circles around the earth. Kepler was born in Weil der Stadt, near Stuttgart, into a modest family. He studied mathematics and astronomy at the University of Tuebingen under Michael Maestlin, an early supporter of the Copernican system. Kepler's first major astronomical work, “Mysterium Cosmographicum (The Cosmographic Mystery),” was published in 1596 and was the first published defence of the Copernican system. Kepler hypothesized that the distances between the planets were determined by the five Platonic solids. Kepler's work in astronomy was not limited to his laws of planetary motion. He also did important work in optics, discovered two new regular polyhedra, and gave the first mathematical treatment of close packing. Kepler's work in optics was published in 1604 and 1611 and laid the foundation for the modern theory of light. Kepler's work on regular polyhedra was published in 1619 and was the first significant advance in this area since the time of the ancient Greeks. Kepler's contributions to science were not limited to astronomy and optics. He also wrote on music theory and astrology. Kepler's work in music theory was published in 1619 and was based on the idea that the planets produce a musical harmony as they move through space. Kepler's work in astrology was based on the idea that the positions of the planets at the time of a person's birth could influence their personality and fate.

## Early Life and Education

Johannes Kepler was born on December 27, 1571, in Weil der Stadt, near Stuttgart, into a modest family. His grandfather, Sebald Kepler, had been Lord Mayor of the city. Kepler's father was a mercenary soldier, and his mother was the daughter of an innkeeper. Kepler moved to nearby Leonberg with his parents in 1576. He graduated from the University of Tuebingen, where he studied mathematics and astronomy under Michael Maestlin, an early supporter of the Copernican system. In 1594, Kepler was given the chair of mathematics at Graz, where he became increasingly absorbed in astronomy. Kepler was formally expelled from town in 1600 on account of his open adherence to the Protestant faith.

## Personal Life

Johannes Kepler (1571-1630) had a difficult personal life. His father was a mercenary soldier, and his mother was the daughter of an innkeeper. Kepler was their first child, and his father left home for the last time when Johannes was five. Kepler was the eldest of his parents' seven children, and only three other Kepler children survived to adulthood. Kepler was married twice and had a total of five children. His first wife, Barbara Müller, died young, and he was survived by a son and a daughter from that marriage. Kepler's second wife, Susanna Reuttinger, survived him, and he was also survived by two sons and a daughter from that marriage. There is little information about Kepler's character, but he has had something of a career as a more or less fictional character.

## Filmography

There is a film based on the life of Johannes Kepler. The film is titled “Johannes Kepler” and was released in 1974. It is a biography of the astronomer and mathematician Johannes Kepler (1571-1630). However, it is not clear whether the film is available for purchase or streaming. There are also no other films based on his works or life mentioned in the search results.

## Quotes

“Nature uses as little as possible of anything.”

“I much prefer the sharpest criticism of a single intelligent man to the thoughtless approval of the masses.”

“The diversity of the phenomena of nature is so great, and the treasures hidden in the heavens so rich, precisely in order that the human mind shall never be lacking in fresh nourishment.”