A contemporary of Galileo and a forerunner of Isaac Newton, Johannes Kepler was the man who figured out how the solar system actually moves.
This colorful, well-researched biography brings the man and his scientific discoveries to life, showing how his contributions were every bit as important as those of Copernicus, Galileo, and Newton.
The Science It was Kepler who first advocated the concept of a physical force emanating from the sun that controls the motion of the planets—today we call this gravity. He also shattered the ancient belief in perfect circles, establishing that the orbits of the planets were elliptical in shape. His three laws of planetary motion are still used by contemporary astronomers and space scientists today.
The Man Behind the Math The author focuses not just on these momentous breakthroughs but also on Kepler's arduous life, punctuated by frequent tragedy and hardships. His first wife died young, and eight of his twelve children died in childhood. Yet, through poverty and religious persecution, he continued to look up and decode the mechanics of the heavens.
Why this belongs in your library:
Historical Context: Bridges the gap between the observations of Tycho Brahe and the physics of Isaac Newton.
Scientific Clarity: Explains the Three Laws of Planetary Motion in a way that shows just how revolutionary they were at the time.
Human Resilience: A moving portrait of a scientist who persevered through the Thirty Years' War and personal loss.
🔭 From the Desk of Paul Bracken: "Every time I align my telescope mount to track a planet, I'm relying on math that Kepler wrote down over 400 years ago. He is the giant upon whose shoulders Newton stood. This book gives him the credit he deserves."
