“That the machine of Heaven is not a hard and impervious body full of various real spheres, as up to now has been believed by most people. It will be proved that it extends everywhere, most fluid and simple, and nowhere presents obstacles as was formerly held, the circuits of the Planets being wholly free and without the labour and whirling round of any real spheres at all, being divinely governed under a given law.” (Tycho Brahe)

A mystical dwarf jester gifted with the second sight. A pet elk with an incurable addiction to booze. A kidnapping in broad daylight. A daunting dictator who dines with kings and princes in his miniature kingdom. These may seem like characters and elements lifted straight out of a medieval fantasy novel, but they are just a few of the bizarre, fascinating episodes that make up Tycho Brahe's strange life. Of all the stories, Brahe’s death may be the strangest of all, and it has led to the exhumation of his corpse on multiple occasions, in one case more than 400 years after he died.

As interesting as the stories about Brahe are, chances are he wouldn’t be remembered if not for the important work he did, especially in the realm of astronomy. He lived in an era when the intellectual worldview of most in Northern Europe was medieval in nature, influenced mostly by spirituality, mysticism, religion, and metaphysics. Brahe, however, was far-thinking in his outlook, taking advantages of the latest technological ideas and practicing empiricism to revolutionize the field of science. This work eventually led Brahe to cross paths with Johannes Kepler, whose laws on planetary motion would change everything.

Tycho Brahe: The Life and Legacy of the Legendary Astronomer Who Mentored Johannes Kepler examines the life and work that made him one of history’s most important scientists. You will learn about Tycho Brahe like never before.