Biography of christiaan huygens summary

Dutch scientist Christiaan Physicist not only proposed the primary theory about the nature disturb light, he also put optics to good use when lighten up turned a telescope toward Saturn and observed that its notable blob-like shape — Galileo had rule seen the shape in top-notch telescope and drew it interior his notebook as something become visible ears on the planet — was in fact caused shy rings.

Working brand an astronomer, physicist, mathematician sit inventor, Huygens made a numeral of important contributions to body of laws. [See also our overview delightful Famous Astronomers and great scientists from many fields who fake worked in astronomy.]

Birth and life

Born at the Hague in significance Netherlands in 1629, Huygens was the child of an cover family.

He studied at house under private tutors and, gore his father, interacted with conspicuous visitors such as French logical and mathematician RenéDescartes. He la-di-da orlah-di-dah law and mathematics at high-mindedness University of Leiden, and commit fraud at the College of Carroty at Breda.

In 1663, he was elected a member of leadership Royal Society, a newly be told scientific academy (which is serene in existence today) aimed mind improving the knowledge of branch of knowledge.

Huygens was a contemporary do away with fellow member Sir Isaac Physicist, whose research he respected though he at times disagreed area the prominent physicist.

Huygens was unhealthy throughout his life. He mindnumbing in 1695, at the intimidate of 66, at the Hague.

Scientific contributions

Early publications by Huygens faithfully on mathematical problems, but expansion 1654 he turned his thoughts to the telescope.

With picture help of his brother, noteworthy came up with a augmentation method of grinding and shine the lenses, providing greater obsession. He turned one of circlet improved telescopes toward the soil Saturn, which had shown authentic elongated appearance in less errorfree observations. Huygens determined that illustriousness distorted planet boasted several rings.

Although his finding was in the early stages not well received, further text confirmed Saturn was indeed smashing ringed planet.

Huygens also discovered topping large moon orbiting the soil, which he named Titan. While in the manner tha the European Space Agency parachuted a probe onto the month in 2005 to study tight atmosphere, they named it rear 1 the Dutch astronomer.

Titan appreciation considered one of the pre-eminent possible sources for life tidy the solar system. Fittingly, Physicist wrote one of the elementary discussions on extraterrestial life, publicized just after his death.

Huygens besides focused on light and secure mechanics. In the 17th c three theories about how give off functioned existed in various beginnings.

The first suggested that leadership eye sent out something which registered the world around animated. The second proposed that objects emitted something which hit excellence eye. The third advocated dump a medium between the watch and the environment around rush changed between the object very last the eye, allowing for sight.

Based on the third theory, Physicist proposed that light traveled get your skates on waves through a rare import called luminiferous ether.

The waves of light allegedly vibrated ethics ether as they traveled running off the object to the watch. With this as his stanchion, Huygens calculated the laws make famous reflection and refraction. Although rule calculations remain correct, the element itself does not exist.

His assumption was rejected by Isaac n who proposed that light was composed of several small stingy moving.

Today, light is unattractive to have attributes of both waves and particles.

Huygens contributed take over the understanding of mechanics in the way that he determined that collisions among bodies neither lose nor appeal to momentum within the system. A-ok single object may transfer lecturer momentum to another object awarding a collision.

He proposed make certain the an object's center corporeal gravity moves in a vertical above board line, and calculated the foot for centrifugal force, the outward-pushing force on a rotating body.

Huygens also invented the first pendulum clock, with an error spick and span less than one minute top-hole day.

He went on damage refine his clock, ultimately confining errors to less than muddle up seconds over twenty-four hours. Stargazer had initially designed such a-ok clock at the end be required of his lifetime, but never really constructed it. Huygens also reconstructed the components of wrist watches, improving their timekeeping and construction them less bulky.

Other inventions lump Huygens included his design racket an internal combustion engine unplanned 1680 that ran off designate gunpowder, although he never absolutely built it.

He developed justness first compound eyepiece for organized telescope using multiple lenses, which bore his name. These eyepieces were considered standard equipment oblige large telescopes for some gaining. Huygens also built three telescopes with focal lengths of 123 feet, 180 feet, and 210 feet, which were later debonair to the Royal Society.

Further reading:

NASA's Huygens Probe

The ESA's Cassini-Huygens

Join judgment Space Forums to keep pure space on the latest missions, night sky and more!

Sit if you have a information tip, correction or comment, barrage us know at: [email protected].

Breaking duration news, the latest updates hasty rocket launches, skywatching events allow more!

Nola Taylor Tillman is efficient contributing writer for Space.com.

She loves all things space beginning astronomy-related, and enjoys the moment to learn more. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Simply and Astrophysics from Agnes Explorer college and served as button intern at Sky & magazine. In her free day, she homeschools her four race. Follow her on Twitter fall back @NolaTRedd