160 likes | 729 Views
Tycho Brahe. Kirsten Baker 8 th Fall 2009. His Early Years. He was born Tyge Ottesen Brahe in Knudstrup, Denmark on December 14, 1546. He was a noble. Before he was two years old, his uncle, Jorgen, kidnapped him.
E N D
Tycho Brahe Kirsten Baker 8th Fall 2009
His Early Years • He was born Tyge Ottesen Brahe in Knudstrup, Denmark on December 14, 1546. • He was a noble. • Before he was two years old, his uncle, Jorgen, kidnapped him. (http://galileo.rice.edu/sci/brahe.html)
His Education • Tycho Brahe started going to school at the age of seven. • He went to several universities throughout his life including the University of Copenhagen where he started using the name Tycho. • At another school, Rostock, he got in a fight with another student who cut off a chunk of his nose.
His Life • Around 1571, Tycho set up a small observatory at the Cistercian Abbey of Herrevad. • During that time, Tycho married Kirsten Jorgensdatter. Because she wasn’t a noble, people often “slandered” Kirsten. • In 1573, he published his own book called “De Nova Stella” (“The New Star”).
His Discoveries • In 1572, Tycho discovered a supernova which is now called: “Tycho’s Supernova” • During his life, he discovered and recorded more than 1000 stars. • He also made the Tychonic System. It stated that the Sun revolved around the Earth while the five planets, that were known then, revolved around the Sun.
How did he die? • This murder mystery has new evidence that Tycho was murdered by a contract killer. A new theory claims that he was poisoned by mercury on the orders of Christian IV, the King of Denmark, because the astronomer had an affair with the King’s mother (Pancevski, 2009).
Other Death Theories • One theory states that his cousin or his assistant, Johannes Kepler, poisoned him with mercury. • Another theory states that while at a dinner party “he was too polite to leave the table until his bladder “ ‘became twisted’ ” (Pancevski, 2009). • He died on October 24, 1601 at the age of 55.
Some Interesting Facts • Tycho’s nose is constructed of gold and silver which is painted to look natural.
References • Bailey, E. (2006). Tycho Brahe. Retrieved November 8, 2009 from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ulh&AN=19551605&site=src-live. • Brahe, Tycho. (2009). Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th Edition. Retrieved November 1, 2009 from the Infohio database. • Flynn, G. (2006). Brahe’s supernova. Science and Scientists Volume 1. • Pancevski, B. (2009, January 23). Hamlet may have poisoned stargazer in mystery murder. The Times. Retrieved October 31, 2009 from EBSCOhost.