Regiomontanus

Johann Müller Regiomontanus

Born: 6 June 1436 in Königsberg, Archbishopric of Mainz (now Kaliningrad, Russia)
Died: 8 July 1476 in Rome, Italy

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Regiomontanus was born Johann Müller of Königsberg but he used the Latin version of his name (Königsberg = "King's mountain").

A translator and publisher, Regiomontanus made important contributions to trigonometry and astronomy. His book De triangulis omnimodis (1464) is a systematic account of methods for solving triangles.

In January 1472 he made observations of a comet which were accurate enough to allow it to be identified with Halley's comet 210 years (and three returns of the 70 year period comet) later.

Pope Sixus IV summoned Regiomontanus to Rome in 1475 to advise on calendar reform and to become bishop of Regensburg. However he died before he could take office, poisoned by his enemies.

Other Web sites:

Vatican City, Italy

References:

  1. Dictionary of Scientific Biography
  2. Biography in Encyclopaedia Britannica
  3. E Rosen, Regiomontanus's Breviarium, Medievalia et Humanistica 15 (1963), 95-96.
  4. E Zinner, Regiomontanus : His life and work (Amsterdam, 1990).
  5. A Ziegler, Regiomontanus : Johann Muller aus Konigsberg in Franken-: ein Geistiger Vorlaufer des Columbus (Amsterdam, 1967). 
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JOC/EFR February 1996