Random Facts About Tycho Brahe, Bizarre 16th Century Astronomer Who Owned A Psychic Dwarf Slave (15 items)

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  (#7) He Was Rumored To Have Been Murdered By The King

  Brahe was a popular man with the Danish royal family. While his astronomical fame brought him plenty of notoriety, he also gained favor when his adopted father saved the Danish King from drowning. This brought Brahe into the royals’ inner circle, where he befriended the King and became close with his family. Too close, if rumors are to be believed - some historians suggest that Brahe began an affair with the Queen, metal nose and all. If that’s true, then perhaps the Queen’s son had Brahe poisoned when he took the throne.
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  (#9) He May Have Been Poisoned By Johannes Kepler

  Some historians theorize that Brahe was murdered in the name of science. One of Brahe’s contemporaries was Johannes Kepler, another incredibly influential astronomer. Brahe’s habit of hoarding his research and data was frustrating to Kepler, and some believe it may have led him to murder his mentor.

  There's no evidence to support this theory, although Kepler did admit to skirting ethics by taking Brahe's research upon his death.
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  (#4) He Wore Copper, Gold, And Silver Noses

  After losing a portion of his nose in a duel, the wealthy Brahe commissioned a number of ornate fake noses, including some for special occasions. He wore a copper nose most of the time, but reportedly swapped in gold and silver coverings whenever the situation called for them.
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  (#2) He Partied With His Prized Pet Moose

  Brahe's choice of pet can charitably be called eccentric: a moose. Brahe adored his moose; it slept in his house like a dog, and reportedly trotted alongside his carriage. Unfortunately, the unusual creature became a fixture at local parties, where it developed a taste for beer. One day, it had a bit too much and fell down the stairs drunk, eventually dying of its injuries.
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  (#13) He Built An Astronomy Castle Called 'Uraniborg'

  Named after Urania, the Muse of Astronomy, Brahe's private observatory was built between 1576 and 1580; construction was bankrolled by King Frederick II of Denmark, who was eager to keep the talented scientist from resettling in another country. It included numerous sophisticated apparatus to assist with Brahe's astronomical observations - but not a telescope, as those hadn't been invented at the time. Despite this handicap, Brahe (aided by up to 30 assistants) was able to observe the stars and planets with unprecedented precision, building the first truly reliable body of astronomical data. Unfortunately, Frederick's successor Christian IV was not a fan of Brahe and withdrew his support for the astronomer's activities. Brahe left the site in 1597, and Uraniborg was demolished soon afterward.
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  (#15) He Furthered Science By Dying

  In the end, Brahe was likely more important in death than he was in life. Other astronomers, including Johannes Kepler, gained access to Brahe’s data after he passed away, which enabled them to make several revolutionary discoveries about the cosmos. Kepler in particular is credited with bringing astronomy fully into the realm of science, and he couldn’t have done so without Brahe’s foundational work.

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