Astronomer with nutty idea of how the universe worked. His own notes and careful observations disproved his own theory, giving Kepler the information he needed. Also had a silver (?) nose because he got it cut off in a duel, I think. And allegedly died at the table because he could not get up to go to the toilet.
Doesn't say anything about that in Wikipedia. Wiki also says that
"Tycho's observations of stellar and planetary positions were noteworthy both for their accuracy and quantity. His celestial positions were much more accurate than those of any predecessor or contemporary. Rawlins (1993, §B2) asserts of Tycho's Star Catalog D, "In it, Tycho achieved, on a mass scale, a precision far beyond that of earlier catalogers. Cat D represents an unprecedented confluence of skills: instrumental, observational, & computational—all of which combined to enable Tycho to place most of his hundreds of recorded stars to an accuracy of ordermag 1'!"
Though his theory of how the universe worked was wrong his contribution to the science of astronomy was noteworthy.
Well, in part in that his observations completely contradicted his theory. Which is laudable and silly in equal measure, I think.
But the "crazy" is really an assessment of the whole. Nose and alchemy, understanding of the universe and all of that rolled into one. One of my favourite scientific characters.
*MySmiley*
structured procrastinator
structured procrastinator
/Science Tycho Brahe
- 08/04/2011 09:17:56 PM
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One of the main characters of the webcomic, Penny Arcade. *NM*
- 08/04/2011 09:24:28 PM
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That's precisely what I thought 
*NM*
- 09/04/2011 03:06:19 PM
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*NM*
- 09/04/2011 03:06:19 PM
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Oh, good, I'm not alone. I feel midly less foolish now. *NM*
- 09/04/2011 06:39:17 PM
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well, still feel a LITTLE foolish. I know who the real guy is too
- 10/04/2011 12:27:18 AM
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- 10/04/2011 12:27:18 AM
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I had this same thought, except mine was when the scientist was brought up in my physics class.
- 24/04/2011 06:32:50 AM
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Crazy, crazy Dane
- 09/04/2011 11:58:20 AM
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Hmm...where does the 'crazy' come in?
- 09/04/2011 07:45:07 PM
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Re: Hmm...where does the 'crazy' come in?
- 09/04/2011 11:48:08 PM
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Sure, but very little.
- 09/04/2011 12:27:00 PM
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You have more of an idea than I did, but...
- 09/04/2011 07:24:09 PM
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Did he go crazy bc the his was made of lead or was he nuts before? *NM*
- 09/04/2011 11:15:18 PM
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*NM*
I've spent too much time around telescopes not to know him.
- 09/04/2011 04:25:04 PM
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yep.
- 09/04/2011 04:38:34 PM
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Er? *NM*
- 09/04/2011 04:42:09 PM
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Probably the most memorable thing about him, sadly
- 09/04/2011 04:54:52 PM
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I suppose it's probably worth mentioning that the cause of his death is now considered different
- 09/04/2011 04:59:18 PM
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