Tycho Brahe

Tycho Brahe . Danish astronomer (1546-1601). Tycho Brahe has been considered the greatest observer of the period before the invention of the telescope and an innovator in astronomical studies.

Summary

[ disguise ]

• 1 Biographical summary
• 2 Places with connection to Tycho Brahe
  • 1 Knutstorp
  • 2 Tosterup
  • 3 Herrevadskloster
  • 4 Benatky nad Jizerou
  • 5 Rundetaarn (The Round Tower)
  • 6 The Tycho Brahe Planetarium
• 3 See also
• 4 References

Biographical summary

He was born on December 14 , 1546 in Knutstorp Castle in Scania – which at that time was a province of Denmark . His parents, Otte Brahe and Beate Bille, belonged to the highest nobility in Denmark, and several of their relatives served the king as advisors and warriors. He was raised by paternal uncle Jorge Brahe and wife Inger Oxe at Tosterup Castle. He spent a lot of time with other relatives at Herrevadskloster Castle.

At the age of 13, Tycho was sent to the University of Copenhagen to study philosophy and rhetoric. A solar eclipse in 1560 sparked interest in astronomy , and he began reading books on the subject. He studied at the universities of Leipzig , Wittenberg, Rostock and Basel to study law, the humanities and science. In Leipzig he began astronomical studies, without permission, but was pardoned shortly after demonstrating his successes. He found that age observations were very imprecise, and began to design methods and instruments for high-precision measurement of the positions of celestial bodies.

During his time in Rostock he had a dispute with another student over who was the better mathematician. This resulted in a duel where he received a deep wound to the nose. For the rest of his life he covered the scar with a plate probably made of a silver-copper alloy that mimicked the color of skin.

In 1570 Tycho returned to Scania. He spent long periods of time at Herrevadskloster which was owned by his maternal uncle Steen Bille. He built a laboratory there and immersed himself in the study of chemistry. On November 11 , 1572 he observed a bright new star in the constellation Cassiopeia; Tycho’s measurements demonstrated that it was indeed a distant star and not any local phenomenon. This was very interesting at the time, since the star spheres were considered divine and perfect, therefore no changes were to take place there.

Tycho watched the glow evolve until it faded the next year. He reported the event in his book “De stella nova”, which made him famous throughout Europe . Due to his fame, he was offered scientific positions throughout Europe. However, the king of Denmark persuaded him to remain in Denmark, giving him the small island of Hven, in the Sund Strait, today Swedish territory. Here, Tycho had the largest observatory of the time built, which he called Uraniborg, that is, “sky city.” He equipped the observatory with monumental and perfected instruments, some of which were designed by himself: wall quadrants, sextants, armillary spheres, squares and gnomons with gigantic graduated scales to obtain the best precision then possible in determining the celestial coordinates and the other astronomical measurements.

Tycho Brahe dies October 24 , 1601 of a urinary bladder infection that he may have tried to cure himself with a medicine containing mercury. Hven today is a picturesque island for tourists. The remains of Uraniborg, the garden and Stjerneborg are seen by thousands of interested visitors each year, as is the Tycho Brahe Museum.

Places with connection to Tycho Brahe

Knutstorp

Knutstorp is located about 8 kilometers northeast of Svalöv in Scania. It was here that Tycho Brahe was born in 1546 . At that time, the fortress consisted of four wings, but today only remains remain. In 1551 it was rebuilt in the Nordic Renaissance style.

Tosterup

Tosterup Castle is located 12 km northeast of Ystad. The castle passed into the hands of the Brahe family in the mid- 15th century . It was here that Tycho Brahe grew up with uncle Jorge Brahe and aunt Inger Oxe. Separated from the brothers and sisters in Knutstorp, Tycho was the only child in Tosterup.

Herrevadskloster

Herrevadskloster is located between Klippan and Ljungbyhed on the northern slopes of the Söderåsen mountain range. It was originally a Cistercian monastery and later a state manor. Steen Bille, Tycho’s maternal uncle, was endowed with Herrevadskloster between 1565 and 1585 . During that time here a paper mill was built which is said to be the origin of the Klippan document mill. A glass factory was also established. It was during a visit to Herrevadskloster that Tycho Brahe discovered “The New Star” in 1572 .

Benatky nad Jizerou

When Tycho arrives in Prague in 1599 , to visit Emperor Rudolph II, the Emperor gives him the offer to choose between three different castles and select the most suitable one for the creation of the new “Uraniborg”. Tycho’s choice is Benatky Castle, a prime spot on a rock with unobstructed views of a wide horizon. He moved with his family in the summer of 1599 , and immediately began rebuilding the castle for his new purpose. This is where Tycho and Johannes met Kepler for the first time in the early 1600s .

Rundetaarn (The Round Tower)

Rundetårn at Koebmagergade 52A in Copenhagen is Europe’s oldest preserved astronomical observatory. It was built in 1637 – 1642 , commissioned by King Christian IV. The tower was part of a large complex that included an observatory, a library and a church for students at the university. The observatory was designed by Tycho Brahe.

The Tycho Brahe Planetarium

The Tycho Brahe Planetarium in Gl. Kongevej 10 in Copenhagen opened in 1989 , and is Denmark’s center for information on astronomy and space travel. The planetarium has two historical and contemporary exhibitions, and a 272-seat Omnimax theater, where movies and star shows are shown. show.

See also