Portrait of Tycho Brahe from Tychonis Brahe Dani Epistolarvm astronomicarvm libri.

Tychonis Brahe Dani Epistolarvm astronomicarvm libri.

Portrait of Tycho Brahe.

Solar eclipses are reminders of the incredible power found within the universe. Tycho Brahe, a student at the University of Copenhagen, witnessed an eclipse on August 21, 1560 and was overwhelmed by what he saw. The fact that the eclipse had been predicted impressed him and prompted a new project. Mistakes in the maps of the night sky that were available at the time frustrated him; he recognized room for improvement. So, he decided to embark on a project to re-map the stars from one vantage point. He diligently took measurements of the stars’ positions, night after night, using instruments to maintain accuracy as best as possible. During his observation, he discovered the occurrence of new stars. At the time, most people believed that stars were permanent and unchanging. However, his detailed records supported the opposite of this belief: the theory of heliocentrism, or the idea that the Earth orbits the Sun. Brahe himself was not yet ready to believe in heliocentrism. He believed other planets orbited the Sun while the Sun orbited Earth. This idea wasn’t quite right, but he was off to a good start.