Tycho Brahe (1546-1601)

Siblings - Kirstine Brahe; Sophia Brahe; He was the second of twelve children

Children - two sons, and four daughters. His sons were named Tycho and Georg. His daughters were Kirsten, Magdalene, Elizabeth and Cecilie

### Hair Color

According to a portrait of Tycho Brahe, he had thinning dark hair and a full beard with long moustaches. However, a recent study found that Tycho Brahe's beard hairs contained mercury, which could have given his hair a golden colour.

### Best Known For

his astronomical observations, which led Johannes Kepler to his theories of the solar system

## About

Tycho Brahe (1546-1601) was a Danish astronomer known for his comprehensive and unprecedentedly accurate astronomical observations. He was born on December 14, 1546, in Knudstrup, Denmark, of noble descent. Tycho Brahe was sent by his family to study in Copenhagen, then to Leipzig to study law, but he soon became entirely occupied with astronomy. In 1565 and 1566, Tycho studied astronomy under the German astronomer, Erasmus Reinhold. Tycho Brahe's observations of stellar and planetary positions were noteworthy both for their accuracy and quantity. His celestial positions were much more accurate than those of any predecessor or contemporary. Tycho was not a Copernican, but proposed a “geo-heliocentric” system in which the Sun and Moon revolved around the Earth, while the other planets revolved around the Sun. Tycho's observations paved the way for future discoveries, and his work in developing astronomical instruments and in measuring and fixing the positions of stars was significant. In 1571, Tycho settled in Scania and constructed a small observatory on property owned by a relative. Here occurred the third and most important astronomical event in Tycho’s life. On November 11, 1572, he suddenly saw a “new star,” which was later identified as a supernova. Tycho's brass azimuthal quadrant, 65 centimetres in radius, was built in 1576 or 1577 and depicted and described in detail in Brahe's 1598 book “Astronomiae instaurata mechanica”. Tycho Brahe was forced by the new king, Christian IV, to leave Denmark in 1597. He 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 observations to develop his laws of planetary motion.

## Early Life and Education

Tycho Brahe was born on December 14, 1546, in his parents' large manor house at Knutstorp, in the Danish region of Scarnia, which is now in Sweden. He was born into a highly aristocratic and wealthy family. Tycho's foster mother, Inger, persuaded her husband that Tycho should receive an academic education, and he began school at the age of six or seven. In April 1559, aged 12, Tycho matriculated at the University of Copenhagen, where he studied a general classical curriculum for three years. Tycho became increasingly absorbed in astronomy during his time at the university and bought a number of important books in the field.

## Career

Tycho Brahe (1546-1601) was a Danish astronomer who made significant contributions to the field of astronomy. He studied at the University of Copenhagen and the University of Leipzig. In 1563, he made his first astronomical observation, which was a conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn. Tycho Brahe developed astronomical instruments and measured and fixed the positions of stars, paving the way for future discoveries. He was the last major astronomer before the invention of the telescope. Tycho Brahe's most important astronomical event was the sudden appearance of a “new star” in 1572, which he observed and recorded. His observations were the most accurate possible at the time and enabled his one-time assistant Johannes Kepler to discover that planets move around the sun in elliptical orbits.

## Personal Life

Tycho Brahe (1546-1601) was born into a highly aristocratic and wealthy family on December 14, 1546, in his parents' large manor house at Knutstorp, in the Danish region of Scarnia, which is now in Sweden. He was raised by his wealthy uncle and attended universities in Copenhagen and Leipzig. Tycho Brahe had six of his eight children living, two sons, Tycho and Georg, and four daughters, Kirsten, and others. He inherited the estates of his father and uncle Jørgen and settled in Scania in 1571, constructing a small observatory on property owned by a relative. Tycho Brahe died aged 54 on October 24, 1601, in Prague.

## Relationships

Tycho Brahe's relationships are not well documented, but it is known that he lived with a woman named Christine from about 1573 until his death in 1601, although they were probably never formally married.

## Controversies

Tycho Brahe (1546-1601) was involved in several controversies. One of the most significant controversies was his death. A kidney stone and ruptured bladder were identified as the most probable causes of his death, but a conspiracy theory suggests that he was murdered by his assistant, Johannes Kepler. In 2010, his body was exhumed to investigate the cause of his death. Another controversy surrounding Tycho Brahe is the identity of the progenitor of the “new star” he observed in 1572. Additionally, Tycho Brahe had a strained relationship with his assistant, Johannes Kepler, who he accused of plagiarism. Despite these controversies, Tycho Brahe's work in developing astronomical instruments and measuring and fixing the positions of stars paved the way for future discoveries.