Experts to probe death of 16th century astronomer



PRAGUE- Danish experts are to carry out tests on the remains of 16th century astronomer Tycho Brahe following their exhumation from his tomb in Prague, to check how he died, Czech media reported Wednesday.
The website of the daily Dnes quoted Czech archaeologist Zdenek Dragoun as saying that the exhumation had been agreed for November 15 and the tests would take five days.



Experts to probe death of 16th century astronomer
Tyge Ottesen Brahe (1546-1601), who postulated that the Moon and Sun both revolve around the Earth but that the other planets orbit the Sun, was Danish born but spent the last two years of his life in Prague in the service of Hapsburg Emperor Rudolph II.
His death is though to have been caused by kidney failure, but there are suspicions that he was deliberately poisoned.
Danish historian Peter Andersen recently speculated that he was murdered by a distant relative, Eric Brahe, on the orders of King Christian IV of Denmark.
Dragoun said the Danish experts led by archaeologist Jens Velles would be assisted by colleagues from the Prague national museum's anthropological institute, and the Czech science academy would examine the remains at the museum's laboratories.
A solemn mass will be held on November 19 when the coffin is replaced in Brahe's tomb in the Gothic church of Our Lady Before Tyn, which dominates the Old Town Square.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wednesday, October 27th 2010
AFP
           


New comment:
Twitter

News | Politics | Features | Arts | Entertainment | Society | Sport



At a glance