Humans have gazed at the night sky for thousands of years, and found it pretty interesting. They learned that you could navigate using the celestial map and, over time, also learned that certain events could be predicted. These learned people were quite prized by their brethren, and their endeavors helped advance our understanding of the world.
a French astronomer. In 1835 he hypothesized that irregularities in Comet Halley's orbit could be explained by an unknown planet beyond Uranus — at the time, Neptune was not yet discovered.
a Dutch astronomer and mathematician. Van den Hove developed a method for measuring the diameters of planets based on the measured visual angle that his telescope revealed.
an astronomer and cartographer of the Low Countries in the service of the Spanish Monarchy. Arnold moved with his family, which included his sons Jacob and Michael, from Amsterdam to Antwerp around the year 1609, during the truce between the Spanish crown and the States General. From the Spanish administration he got the title of "Sphérographe de leurs Alte...
more
an astronomer and cartographer of the Low Countries in the service of the Spanish Monarchy. Arnold moved with his family, which included his sons Jacob and Michael, from Amsterdam to Antwerp around the year 1609, during the truce between the Spanish crown and the States General. From the Spanish administration he got the title of "Sphérographe de leurs Altesses" and was awarded a grant of 300 livres towards the expense of his move. Michael van Langren did not receive a university education. He became a cartographer and engineer. He would serve as the Royal Cosmographer and Mathematician to King Philip IV of Spain, and was helped in his work by the patronage of the Infanta Isabella Clara Eugenia of Spain.
Very little is known about his life. He was born and died in Mechelen, though apparently worked in Antwerp at the start of his career. He worked in allegorical and mythological themes, and was also known for his illustrations.
a French astronomer, mathematician, and engineer. He constructed an equatorial meridian-instrument and an isochronometric regulator for the Paris Observatory. He wrote Mécanique Céleste. Expose des Méthodes de Wronski et Composantes des Forces Perturbatrices suivant les Axes Mobiles (Paris: Gauthier-Villars, 1881) and Sur l'établissement des arches de po...
more
a French astronomer, mathematician, and engineer. He constructed an equatorial meridian-instrument and an isochronometric regulator for the Paris Observatory. He wrote Mécanique Céleste. Expose des Méthodes de Wronski et Composantes des Forces Perturbatrices suivant les Axes Mobiles (Paris: Gauthier-Villars, 1881) and Sur l'établissement des arches de pont, envisagé au point de vue de la plus grande stabilité (Paris: Imprimerie Impériale, 1853).
