Johannes Kepler (Nov. 27, 1571- Nov. 15, 1630) was a German scientist and early astronomer. He was responsible for discovering three major laws of planetary motion: 1. Planets orbit the sun in an elliptical movement; 2. The area law; 3. The harmonic law. He also modified Copernicus’ Sun-centered system to a dynamic universe approach, where the Sun is active in shifting how the planets orbit around it. Much like many scientists during his time, Kepler was well-versed in many fields, including physics, mathematics, philosophy, and theology. He used the knowledge from these fields to further his understanding of the early days of astronomy.
Kepler lived through many important global events. In 1588 the Spanish Armada was defeated by the English. King Phillip II of Spain ordered the armada to aid in the planned invasion of England, but before the invasion could begin, the armada was attacked by British ships and forced away. This decisive military victory was a massive blow to what was then thought of as the greatest naval military force in the world and started the decline in Spanish military power. Additionally, in 1611 the King James Version of the Bible is published, becoming one of the most culturally important English books. The version to this day remains the preferred translation of protestant Christian groups and religious movements.
Another important and influential person who lived at the same time as Kepler was René Descartes (March 31, 1596-Feb 11, 1650). Descartes was a revolutionary figure in modern philosophy and science. In terms of philosophy, he laid the groundwork for rationalism (in opposition to empiricism), increased the importance and attention of epistemology, and famously made the groundbreaking philosophical statement “cogito ergo sum.”
Doing this research really helped me understand the (Western) astronomical timeline and put into perspective how exponentially things have changed over the 20th and 21st centuries compared to the 16th and 17th centuries. With our current technology we have abilities that past astronomers could only dream of. Not only have we sent people to space, but we are able to see the far reaches of the universe through telescopes like the Hubble and James Webb. We’ve been able to advance astronomical knowledge far past what our predecessors thought possible, but they still laid the groundwork that led to these discoveries today.
Cool Space Thoughts by Me 