BRAHE, brii or brin, TYCHO (1546-1601). A celebrated Danish astronomer, born at Knut storp. He was descended from a noble family, originally Swedish, and was sent, at the age of thirteen, to the University of Copenhagen, where he had not been more than a year when an eclipse of the Sint turned his attention to astronomy. His uncle, who destined him for the law, furnished him with a tutor, and sent him to Leipzig in 1562; but Brahe. who cared nothing for that study, devoted just so much time to it as would save appearances, and while his tutor slept busied himself nightly with the stars. By these surreptitious observations of the heavens, and with no other mechanical con trivances than a globe about the size of an orange and a pair of rude compasses. he succeeded, as early as 1563, in detecting grave errors in the tables of Copernicus, and set about correcting them. The death of his uncle, who left hill% an estate, recalled him to his native place in 1565, but he very soon became disgusted with the ignuuranee and arrogance of those in the same sphere with himself, and went back to Germany. At Wittenberg, where he resided for a short lime, he lost part of his nose in a, duel with a Danish gentleman; but for the lost. organ he in geniously contrived one of gold, that fitted so admirably, and was so naturally colored, that few could have deteeted that it was artificial. After a couple of years spent in Augsburg he returned home, where, in 1372, he discovered a new and brilliant star in the constellation Cassiopeia. In 1573 he Married a peasant girl, which his fellow-noblemen thought even more undignified than being addicted to astronomy; for this they considered very degrading to a gentleman, whose only becoming qualification should be, in their estimation, skill in the use of arms. After some time spent in travel, Brahe received from his sovereign, Frederick 11., the offer of the island of
Hven as the site for an observatory, the King also offering to defray the cost of erection. and of the necessary astronomical instruments. as well as to provide him with a suitable salary. Brahe accepted the generous proposal• and in 1576 the foundation-stone of the castle of Urani borg ('fortress of the heavens') was laid. Here, for a period of twenty years, Braie prosecuted Iris observations with the most unwearied in dustry—with a zeal, in fact, sufficient to create a new epoch in astronomy as a science of ob servation. The scientific greatness of Brahe was no protection against the petty prejudices of the nobles, who could not bear to see honor heaped on one who, according to their notions. had dis graced their order, nor against the meaner jeal ousies of physicians, who were annoyed at his dispensing medicine gratis to the poor. So long as his munificent patron, Frederick 11.. lived, Brahe's position was all that he could have de sired, but on his death, in 158S, it was greatly changed. For some years under Christian IV., Brahe was simply tolerated; but in 1597 his position had grown so unbearable that he left the country altogether, having been the year before deprived of his observatory and emolu ments. After residing a short time at Rostock and at Wandsbeek. near Hamburg, he accepted an invitation of the Emperor Rudolph 11.—who conferred on him a pension of 3000 ducats—to Benack. a few miles from Prague, where a new Uraniborg was to have been erected for him: but he died at Prague on October 13, 1601. At Remick he had Kepler as his assistant, and to the advice of Brahe that celebrated astronomer owed much. The scientific publications of Brahe are numerous. Consult Dreyer, Picture of Scien tific Life and Work of Tycho Brahe (London, 1890).