Daniel Kirkwood, an American Astronomer, born September 27, 1814 in Harford County, Maryland, lived a humble and simple life. His journey towards academic excellence started at the very young age of nineteen, when he first ventured the life of teaching at a country school at Hopewell, York County, Pennsylvania. One of his pupils was keen to learn Algebra, something described by the young Daniel Kirkwood as something that uses the letters of the alphabets instead of figures. With a used [...]

Johann Gottfried Galle, a German astronomer, was famous for his assistance in the discovery of the planet Neptune in 1846. Early in his life he worked as an assistant for Johann Franz Encke at the Berlin Observatory in 1835. Galle sent a copy of his PhD thesis on criticizing Ole Romer’s 1706 observations of Uranus, to Urbain Jean Joseph Le Verrier in Paris, France. A year later, Le Verrier responded by pointing to him the observations he found regarding the [...]

“Our eyes met and my fate was sealed, I felt irresistibly that we must be united.” These were the words the famous Sir George Biddell Airy, an English mathematician and astronomer wrote to his wife, Richarda Smith on July 1824. Sir George Biddell Airy, an astronomer royal holding a senior post in the Sovereign of the United Kingdom, is well-known not for the smoothness of the words he uttered to his wife, but for his remarkable pursuit for the determination [...]

Johannes Kepler was born on December 27, 1571 and his birth marked contributions in the field of Astronomy no one could have fathom. At the Free Imperial City of Weil der Stadt where he was born, his grandfather ruled as the town’s mayor. He was neither borne a rich or noble man, for his father, Heinrich who left them when he was five. His mother, Katharina Guldenman, was a healer and herbalist who later on engaged in witchcraft. Johannes was [...]

Who would have thought that this premature baby would become one of the World’s renowned and most influential people? This is due to his contributions in Mathematics, Physics, Theology and Philosophy? Sir Isaac Newton was born on January 4, 1643; however, December 25, 1642 is his recorded date of birth as the Gregorian calendar was not yet adopted. He was named after his father, a peasant who died three days before he was born. He lived with his mother, Hannah [...]

Have you ever stared at the starry sky and wondered, how can the dark sky be so dark when all the stars are so bright? And if you recall correctly, isn’t the universe studded with stars even bigger than the sun? Believe it or not, this argument already exists! It is called the Olber’s Paradox, described in detail by Heinrich Wilhelm Matthaus Olbers, better known as Wilhelm Olbers.

In 1784, Germany, one of the greatest astronomers was born. Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel, better known as Friedrich Bessel, was a young man who was determined to grasp all the knowledge he can from this world. Though he was not necessarily aiming for the heavens yet, he was eager to explore the challenges beyond land. By 14, he was already preparing for his life at sea. Young as he was, he knew that knowledge was power, and started learning stuff a [...]

During the 1700s-1800s, the Germans seemed to have a flair for producing what would be the world’s renowned set of astronomers to have ever lived. One of them is Johann Franz Encke. Born in September 1791, this man of nobility and many awards was not only a mathematician and astronomer, but once in his life, he had also been a lieutenant of artillery in 1815. A year later, 1816, most likely showing potential regarding his excellent knowledge and observation skills, [...]

The Germans were not the only ones who had an astronomer during the 1700s. And who says astronomers just have to be interested in stars and telescopes? December 1798, Thomas James Henderson was born. Astronomy was his calling, but it was not his first choice. After graduating from high school, he was educated as a lawyer and as a cartoonist! Apparently, this guy was smart and knew how to draw. Though he was taking his job seriously, the fire of [...]

Being responsible for the birth of modern science, as well as being considered as the Father of Modern Physics, the Father of Science, and the Father of Modern Observational Astronomy – no doubt Galileo Galilei shall be viewed with utmost regard and recognition. He is considered to be a follower of Copernican as his contributions proved the theories of the renowned astronomer. This man whose complete name is Galileo di Vincenzo Bonaiuti de’ Galilei was born in Pisa, Italy on [...]