Tycho Brahe and The Restoration of Astronomy

Name: Tycho Brahe and The Restoration of Astronomy
Start: 2025-10-03T19:30:00+01:00
Location: 16-18 Queen Square, BA1 2HN Bath, United Kingdom

Schedule

Fri, 03 Oct, 2025 at 07:30 pm

UTC+01:00

Location

16-18 Queen Square, BA1 2HN Bath, United Kingdom | Bath, EN

This talk focuses on the life and work of Tycho Brahe. From his island observatory funded by the Danish king, Brahe (1546–1601) conducted a systematic programme of observation that laid the foundations for significant astronomical innovations in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.
While his empirical approach resonates with modern scientific sensibilities, Tycho’s aim was historical: he sought the restoration of astronomy, inspired by the example of the ancient world. The talk will examine how Tycho drew on past knowledge to inform his own practices and how these were shaped by contemporary debates within the discipline of astronomy.
The speaker, Dr Emma Perkins, is a Teaching Associate in the Department of History and Philosophy of Science and a Fellow of Newnham College at the University of Cambridge. Her research focuses on early modern astronomy, particularly its visual and material culture and systems of patronage.