Kepler, JohannesAustrian
Astronomer. Kepler proposed the fundamental
simplification of the Copernican scheme by hypothesising one ellipse for the
orbit of each planet. This achieved a very good fit, and finally put to rest the
Platonic scheme of explaining the motions of the heavens in terms of compounds
of uniform circular motion.
Kepler is
famous for three laws, firstly, elliptical orbits for planets, secondly the law
that a line from the sun to a planet sweeps out equal areas in equal times, and
finally that the square of the time a planet takes to complete one orbit is
proportional to the cube of its mean distance from the sun. Kepler was the first
whole hearted and public advocate of the Copernican system. He is also famous
for trying to reproduce the ratios of the orbits of the planets from fitting
together the five perfect solids, and the theory that the sun holds the planets
in their orbits by magnetism.
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Contributed
by: Richard P Whaite
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