Showing posts with label 1500's. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 1500's. Show all posts

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Tycho Brahe


Tycho Brahe was an astronomer during the late 1500’s who created new, more accurate devices for observing planets. He created the idea of a geo-heliocentric universe, because his observations of the planets created a new pattern of how the planets move. Since he created this new idea he got shunned because this went against the Bible and what people believed at the time.  His new idea might have been the reason for his death. Tycho Brahe had some really big ideas and helped many of the astronomers after him.

Tycho's geo-heliocentric idea was one of the first steps closer to finding the true orbits of the planets. In the geo- heliocentric model the sun and the moon orbit earth and all of the other planets orbit the sun. Although this idea was incorrect, it was a step closer to finding the orbits. He created new instruments to use that were more accurate in observing the planets. Tycho’s new idea of planetary motion was incorrect but was closer than it was before.
Tycho’s idea that the planets were geo-heliocentric was a completely new idea and because it was so new people tried to ignore his ideas. The idea also went against the Bible so he got shunned by churches as well. People might have tried to cut him out because his ideas were so new and they didn’t understand them and how this would work. If they would have listened to him  then they might have understood his idea and agreed with him.
Though some people shunned him, others may wanted his ideas to the point of killing him. On October 24, 1601 Tycho died of a suddenly contracted bladder or kidney ailment after a banquet in Prague. A couple years ago scientists thought that it was not from bladder problems but from mercury poisoning which they thought might have been done by Johannes Kepler because he wanted his work. However in 2012 scientists returned and discovered that it was probably a burst bladder because there was not enough mercury for it to be lethal.

During Tycho’s time he was treated poorly and in a way bullied. What I can’t believe is that he stood up to thousands of people, and kids can’t stand up to a bully. Bullying is a really serious thing and no one should be a bully. Even if someone is just trying to be funny sometimes they can hurt feelings. The thing is, when this happens no one will stand up to them. I think that kids don’t stand up to them is that they think that they won’t make a difference or they will get bullied to. If everyone stands up to a bully then there won’t be bullies any more.
During the scientific revolution many of the scientists were “bullied” for their new ideas; though they had different reasons when compared to the average bully today, the scenario is similar. Though the scientists usually stood up for their idea and kids today usually back down. I hope that people stop being bullies, but also that people stop backing down to them. If people stopped backing down to them, and instead telling them that what they are doing is wrong, then maybe people would stop being being bullies.
In the end Tycho Brahe was a important astronomer during the scientific revolution. He made a lot of important discoveries during his time. Tycho also improved a lot of equipment and stood up for what he believed, even though so many doubted him and told him that he was wrong. He was not the only only scientist that stood up for what he believed in. He is a great example of fighting for what you believe in.


Sources:
"Tycho Brahe." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 02 Dec. 2013. Web. 14 Feb. 2013.
"Tycho Brahe Quotes." Rugu RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Feb. 2013.