The Supernova That Sparked the Original Scientific Revolution

In 1572, Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe observed a brilliant "new star" (actually a supernova) in the constellation Cassiopeia. By demonstrating that the object was far beyond the Moon's orbit and belonged to the fixed stars, his meticulous measurements challenged the long-held Aristotelian belief in an unchanging celestial realm, helping to spark the Scientific Revolution.