Astronomy would be nothing without its precursors, without those whose efforts managed to give rise to everything that is known about the universe today. Therefore, over time, several famous astronomers have highlighted thanks to his impressive scientific discoveries. Without the contribution made by them, surely most of the conceptions would be different.
But have you heard about some of them? Probably not. Much of what you have heard about the universe is thanks to them and their hard research. The laws of physics or the behavior of gravity are just some transcendental facts attributed to these eminences. Not only is it enough to know their names, but to delve into them.
You may also be interested in our article: Know the History of Basic Astronomy
Browse through the names of famous astronomers!
Source: Google
The list is too long, but without a doubt famous astronomers have earned this title thanks to their successful research. Centuries ago, it was they who paved the way for to continue working towards the discovery of new cosmic mysteries.
All the famous astronomers, like Copernicus, Kepler, Galileo, Einstein, Hubble and Herschel all have something in common. Despite being far apart between their times, they worked tirelessly to completely revolutionize the spectrum of knowledge by then. His ideals and theories caused revitalizing effects for science, being practically fathers of it.
Enjoy the list of the 4 famous astronomers of ancient times!
There is a vast list of famous astronomers from which it is difficult to leave one out, since they have all been an important part of the process. However, this is what you should know about the 4 most influential astronomers a long time ago.
Galileo Galilei: A man full of wisdom
Talking about this man is knowledge and pure wisdom, born in Tuscany in Italy almost 500 years ago. He is known for his controversial discoveries in astronomical matters in general.
By using the telescope, discovered Saturn and its rings, as well as a moderate number of the moons orbiting Jupiter. Galileo was a supporter of heliocentrism and various tendencies on the solar system, being cataloged even a heretic for them.
Hipparchus: First voyage to the stars
Even before Christ, there are records of famous astronomers, such as Hipparchus. Some consider him the father of astronomy because he was the one who separated the first detailed catalog of the stars.
Through advanced study of the moon and sun, he established the average length of a day as 24 hours. Similarly, he developed the foundations of trigonometry along with his cosmological studies. Father of astronomy or trigonometry? It is up to you.
Johannes Kepler: Moving Among Giants
A native of Germany, Johannes Kepler is among the famous astronomers due to his important participation in the scientific revolution. He inquired and investigated about the movement of the planets until he concluded that its orbit around the sun is elliptical. On the other hand, he supplemented his studies based on the moon and its effects on the tides.
Nicolaus Copernicus: Enemy of the Church
At that time, the church established that the Earth was the true celestial body in the middle of the Solar System. However, with the arrival of Copernicus, a new current began to be developed.
Copernicus established the theory of heliocentrism, where the Earth was replaced by the Sun as the axis of the solar system. Thanks to the fact that his work became public, it represented a key anecdote that gave rise to the Scientific Revolution and its events.
Find out about the famous astronomers of recent times!
Source: Google
Now, knowing basically about a part of outstanding astronomers a few centuries ago, you must delve into those more recent. They are just as influential and important, with the difference that they were guided by the works published by those already named.
Take a look at some of the famous living astronomers
In relation to this point, Anthony Brown, is considered one of the most renowned living famous astronomers today. He is president of the DPAC, a branch dedicated to the analysis of data from ESA missions. In 2018, he was in charge of translating information from the GAIA mission, about the behavior of more than 1000 billion stars.
On the reverse of the coin, Amy Barger, an astronomer of American origin, appears in action. Their studies on black holes along with their relationship with galaxies, endorse her as one of the influential living famous astronomers. She concluded that they are less long-lived than previously believed and that their activity is more constant than it seems.
The best current or most recent famous astronomers are here!
Despite not being alive or exactly from this year, there are a couple of famous astronomers today. Or rather, relatively recent, worth mentioning. First of all, it is impossible not to name Stephen Hawking, a man who used sheer effort and knowledge to revolutionize astronomy. Beyond being one of today's famous astronomers, he was considered an eminence within astrophysics as such.
Your ideas about space-time singularities grounded in the theory of relativityhave been the subject of multiple debates and perspectives. He is also honored for implementing the strong theory that black holes are capable of emitting radiation. Today this milestone is coined as the “Hawking Radiation”.
Following in honorary stride is Edwin Hubble, one of today's most reputable celebrity astronomers in the United States and the world. His work was based on the discovery of worlds beyond the Milky Way, totally changing the panorama that existed at that time.
By virtue of the new stellar mapping carried out by Hubble, evidence of an infinity of stars and planets outside the Milky Way. Likewise, he established the movement of the surrounding galaxies, concluding that they move at an extraordinary speed, moving away from the Milky Way.