The 17th century astronomer who kept a roughly 20 year continuous record of the positions of the Sun, Moon, and planets was:
A) Tycho Brahe
B) Galileo Galilei
C) Isaac Newton
D) Nicolaus Copernicus
E) Jean Luc Picard

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The astronomer who kept a roughly 20 year continuous record of the positions of the Sun, Moon, and planets was Tycho Brahe, who was active in the 17th century. Galileo Galilei was also active during this time, but his work primarily focused on the study of the heavens through the use of the telescope. Isaac Newton lived a bit later, in the 18th century, and his work was primarily theoretical in nature. Nicolaus Copernicus was active in the 16th century, prior to the time period in question. Jean Luc Picard, on the other hand, is a fictional character from the television show Star Trek and has no relation to astronomy.

The 17th Century Astronomer Who Kept a Roughly 20 Year