ct that his calculations did not match known planetary data, Kepler presumed that Copernicus's data was in error, and produced this diagram of orbits, where the outer ring represents the orbit of Saturn.Kepler stayed at the University of Graz until 1600, when he was pressured to leave due to his Lutheran faith. Kepler traveled to the observatory of the famed Danish Astronomer and Imperial Mathematician Tycho Brahe, where he became Brahe's assistant. By all accounts, the relationship between the two was strained. We have previously discussed Kepler's upbringing. In contrast, Brahe was from an aristocratic background who shared Kepler's less than scintillating personality. As a result, the two continuously quarreled, and usually failed to resolve their academic and personal differences. However, the two realized that they needed each other. As a result, both learned from each other's writings.Brahe died in 1601, and Kepler assumed his post as imperial mathematicus. In addition, Rudolph II requested his service as court astronomer, which Kepler preformed until Rudolph's death in 1612,During his tenure as court astronomer, Johannes Kepler labored over one of his most impressive works: Astronomia Nova. His primary motivation was to attempt to calculate the orbit of Mars. One offshot of this work was the formulation of the concepts that were eventually known as the first two of Kepler’s Laws.In 1612, Kepler became provincial mathematician to Linz, in upper Austria. Over the next fourteen years, Kepler published Harmonice Mundi, in which Kepler outlined his third law. Furthermore, he published the Epitome Astronomiae Copernicanae, which combined all of his discoveries together. However, Kepler's personal life was far less successful. His first wife, Barbara, and their two sons died from the fever and small pox in 1612. In 1615, Kepler was excommunicated from the church, and his mother was placed on trial for being a witch.. Despite thes...
