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Astro*Dictionary by Michael Erlewine

 

 

 

 

1 article for "Reinhold, Erasmus"

Reinhold, Erasmus [Astro*Index]

(rine'hold)

(1511-1553) German mathematician. Born at Saalfeld, Thuringia; died at Wittenberg, Saxony.

Professor of mathematics at the University of Wittenberg, the center of Lutheranism, which was initially severely anti-Copernican. Nevertheless, Reinhold made corrections to the work of Copernicus. He viewed the work of Copernicus as a computational device, not an accurate representation of actual planetary motions. Subsidized by Duke Albert of Prussia, he calculated a new set of planetary tables, the Tabulae Prutenicae (Prussian Tables), based on Copernicus' work; these tables were superior to the Alfonsine Tables, and provided a strong support for the theories of Copernicus. They were not to be excelled until Kepler provided his tables.

 

See also:
♦ Copernicus, Nicolas

 

Astro*Index Copyright © 1997 Michael Erlewine