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Johannes Kepler's Accomplishments

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Name: Johannes Kepler
Background information: Johannes Kepler was a German mathematician, astronomer, and astrologer who played a key role in the Scientific Revolution. He is best known for his laws of planetary motion.
Birth/Death Date: December 27, 1571 – November 15, 1630
Birthplace: Weil der Stadt, Württemberg, Holy Roman Empire
Family members: Kepler was the son of a mercenary and later a merchant. His mother was the daughter of an innkeeper. Kepler had six siblings, but only three survived infancy.
Early education: Kepler attended the Latin school in his hometown of Weil der Stadt, where he received his early education. Kepler showed an early interest in astronomy and mathematics, and his talent in these subjects was recognized by his teacher, Michael Maestlin. Under Maestlin's guidance, Kepler …show more content…

He later attended the University of Heidelberg, where he studied under the astronomer Tycho Brahe.
Degrees: Kepler earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Tübingen in 1588. He then earned a Master of Arts degree from the same university in 1591.
Scientific achievements:
Kepler's laws of planetary motion: Kepler's first law states that the orbit of each planet is an ellipse with the Sun at one of the two foci. His second law, also known as the law of equal areas, states that a line segment joining a planet and the Sun sweeps out equal areas during equal intervals of time. Kepler's third law states that the square of the orbital period of a planet is proportional to the cube of the semi-major axis of its orbit.
Discovery of supernova: In 1604, Kepler observed a supernova (SN 1604) in the Milky Way. He wrote a book about his observations, which helped to advance the understanding of supernovae.
Astronomical tables: Kepler created astronomical tables that were used by astronomers for many years. These tables helped to improve the accuracy of astronomical

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