Astronomical Facts About Tycho Brahe, The Scandalous Scientist
Scientists have a reputation for being boring and nerdy, but this astronomer smashed through these stereotypes. Tycho Brahe lived a life as large as the universe.
1. He Lived A Wild Life
From its privileged beginning to its suspicious ending, Tycho Brahe’s life was stranger than fiction. This includes a kidnapping, a duel, a psychic dwarf, a royal affair, a forbidden romance, countless feuds, and a few murder conspiracies.
This astronomer changed the way we see the universe–he might just change the way you see scientists.
2. He Was Kidnapped
Tycho Brahe’s life should’ve been straightforward, but it was anything but. In 1546, he was born into a Danish noble family. On top of that, Tycho was the eldest of 12. Sadly, this included his twin brother, who didn’t survive. Andit gets even worse: His childless uncle and aunt snatched two-year-old Tycho from his real parents to raise as their own.
Stranger still, his mom and dad had a shocking reaction to every parent’s worst nightmare.
.jpg){kind=link}
3. He Had Sketchy Parents
Most parents would’ve gone to the ends of the Earth to get their child back. But Tycho’s mom and dad weren’t most parents, and they simply allowed this bizarre arrangement. This arrangement sounds completely messed up, but Brahe revealed that his aunt and uncle couldn’t have treated him better.
Without them, he might not have found his destiny on one unforgettable night.
4. He Had An Epiphany
One night changed Brahe–and science–forever. At 13, he witnessed a solar eclipse. It was the right place, the right time, and the right person. The eclipse was cool, but Tycho found something even cooler: science.
It amazed Brahe that astronomers could predict not only this eclipse, but other cosmic phenomena. He wanted in.
