Johannes Kepler, born on December 27, 1571, in Weilderstadt (now Weil der Stadt), Holy Roman Empire, was a pivotal figure in the Scientific Revolution. Known for his laws of planetary motion, Kepler made significant contributions to astronomy, mathematics, and optics.
Kepler was the eldest son of Heinrich Kepler and Katharina Guldenmann. Despite his family's financial struggles, his intellectual potential was recognized early on. He attended the Tübinger Stift, a Lutheran seminary, where he was exposed to the works of Copernicus, which deeply influenced his later work on heliocentrism.
Kepler worked closely with Tycho Brahe from 1600 until Brahe's death in 1601. Brahe's precise observations provided Kepler with the data necessary to derive his laws of planetary motion. After Brahe's death, Kepler inherited Brahe's astronomical records and continued his work in Prague.
Kepler's later years were marked by personal hardships, including the trial of his mother for witchcraft, which he defended against. He published several important works including the Rudolphine Tables in 1627, which provided accurate predictions of planetary positions. Kepler died on November 15, 1630, in Regensburg, Holy Roman Empire.