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Christoph Rothmann (born between 1550 and 1560 in Bernburg, Saxony-Anhalt; died probably after 1600 in Bernburg) was a German mathematician and one of the few well-known astronomers of his time. His research contributed substantially to the fact that Kassel became a European center of the astronomy in the 16th century.

Signature of Mathematicus Christophorus Rothmannus Bernburgensis
Signature of Mathematicus Christophorus Rothmannus Bernburgensis

Life


It is not known today when Rothmann was born, although it is known that his place of birth was Bernberg on the Saale, probably between 1550 and 1560. After a basic education he studied theology and mathematics in Wittenberg with support of the prince, Joachim Ernst von Anhalt. Rothmann's enthusiasm for the astronomy was substantial. Christoph Rothmann was appointed in 1577 as court mathematician in Kassel by Prince Wilhelm IV of Hessen. From 1584 to 1590 he was active in astronomy at the observatory of the prince. His research contributed substantially to the fact that Kassel became a center of the astronomical research. In 1590 he visited Tycho Brahe in Uraniborg on the island Ven, but did not return to Kassel. After the trip to Uranienburg he lived until his death in Bernberg and wrote additional (unknown) theological writings.


Work


Christoph Rothmann computed and implemented the Kassel star catalog between 1585 and 1587 almost exclusively under the technical sponsorship of Prince Wilhelm IV. Rothmann was a convinced follower of Nikolaus Copernicus, who justified the heliocentric view of the world. In contrast to his prominent astronomical colleagues he fell into oblivion in the 17th century.

In the 16th century in Europe two groups of researchers with the list of new more exact star catalogs had out-done. On side the well-known Dane Tycho Brahe, who had established the famous observatory Uraniborg on the island Ven, and a group of astronomers in Kassel at the court of the prince. Here Rothmann and Joost Bürgi, a Swiss mathematician, worked. The two working groups maintained a scientific exchange like an extensive exchange of letters between Kassel and Ven.

An often quoted letter between Rothmann and Brahe pointed out the whole dilemma of the physics at that time. Brahe distrusted the heliocentric view of the world of Nikolaus Copernicus, and raised in a letter to Rothmann the following objection against the movement of the Earth: "if the Earth actually turns from west to east, then a cannon ball, which is shot toward the turning of the Earth, must continue to fly as fast as a projectile fired in opposite direction."[1] Rothmann answered that both projectile and cannon would participate in the movement of the Earth and so that his objection was invalid. This contradicted however the Aristotelian view of motion then valid in Europe. At that time this was so fundamental a contradiction that it could only be eliminated in the middle the 17th century with the discovery of the force of gravity.

The crater Rothmann on the Moon is named after him.


Writings



Further reading



References


  1. Grant, Edward (1984). "In Defense Of The Earth's Centrality and Immobility". Trans Am Philos Soc. 74: 43. doi:10.2307/1006444. ISBN 9781422374597. JSTOR 1006444.
  2. Original der Herzog August Bibliothek Wolfenbüttel Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine



На других языках


[de] Christoph Rothmann

Christoph Rothmann -Christophorus Rothmannus- (* um 1555 in Bernburg; † 1601 in Bernburg[1]) war ein deutscher Mathematiker und einer der wenigen bekannten Astronomen seiner Zeit, geriet aber im Lauf des 17. Jahrhunderts in Vergessenheit. Seine Forschungen trugen wesentlich dazu bei, dass Kassel im 16. Jahrhundert zu einem europäischen Zentrum der Astronomie wurde.
- [en] Christoph Rothmann

[es] Christoph Rothmann

Christoph Rothmann (nacido entre 1550 y 1560 en Bernburg, Sajonia-Anhalt; muerto probablemente después de 1600 en Bernburg) fue un matemático alemán, uno de los pocos astrónomos de su época cuya obra es bien conocida. Sus trabajos de investigación contribuyeron sustancialmente al hecho de que Kassel se convirtiera en un centro de la astronomía europea en el siglo XVI.

[it] Christoph Rothmann

Christoph Rothmann (Bernburg, 1560 circa – Bernburg, estate 1601) è stato un matematico e astronomo tedesco.

[ru] Ротман, Христоф

Хри́стоф Ро́тман (Christoph Rothmann) — немецкий астроном и математик.



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