via Wikimedia Commons
By Alexander Jaeger
My favorite astronomer is Johannes Kepler. Ever since I took an introductory course in astrophysics, I have been fascinated by Kepler because of his laws of planetary motion. It seemed so amazing to me that such a complex topic could be described by laws that appeared so simple. I think that his work was incredibly significant because it helped disprove the theory of “planetary orbs” (orbs which planets were attached to and thus derived their orbits from) and established the idea that astronomical phenomena were governed by physical laws.
I also admire the fact that he endeavored to find a physical explanation for planetary motion in a time when prior assumptions and supernatural explanations were deeply ingrained and accepted in society. Though he was religious and had an interest in astrology, his dedication to the sciences enabled him to largely separate these influences from his work, which I think is a truly laudable feat, especially during this time period. Additionally, because the word of the church was considered law by many, Kepler was also putting himself at risk of retaliation as he continued his research and published findings that did not align with church-approved theory (as seen by how his books were banned by it).
Because many of his findings were not accepted at the time (and indeed, for decades to come), even by those most prevalent in the field such as Galileo, I greatly admire his persistence in his inquiry. I can imagine how difficult it would be to not to doubt my own work and continue if everyone around me disagreed with and ignored my findings—not to mention that the findings also went against many of the accepted explanations for the same things they described! I look up to Kepler as a role model for how to approach scientific inquiry, and hope that in the future I can also participate in groundbreaking research, like he did!