27th December
Birth of Johannes Kepler
Birth of Johannes Kepler
Historical biography timeline
Johannes Kepler biography timeline
Explore a static chronology of 27 World History Database records for Johannes Kepler. The page is generated from the same biography records used by the searchable database, making important life events directly crawlable and readable.
27 records
1571–1630 record span
24 event labels
1 country
Life and historical importance
Johannes Kepler: life, career and historical significance
German mathematician and astronomer who used Tycho Brahe's observations to derive the laws of planetary motion. By showing that planets move in ellipses, he supplied the predictive framework later explained by Newtonian gravitation.
Editorial overview by World History Database. The chronology below is generated from the site's structured biography records.
Chronology
Johannes Kepler: dated events and historical records
Records are ordered by year, month and day where dates are available. The wording below comes from the World History Database biography collection.
1571
1596
1596
Mysterium cosmographicum
Publication of Mysterium cosmographicum (The Sacred Mystery of the Cosmos)
1596
Mysterium cosmographicum (The Sacred Mystery of the Cosmos)
Publication of Mysterium cosmographicum (The Sacred Mystery of the Cosmos)
1601
1601
De Fundamentis Astrologiae Certioribus
Publication of De Fundamentis Astrologiae Certioribus (Concerning the More Certain Fundamentals of Astrology)
1601
De Fundamentis Astrologiae Certioribus (Concerning the More Certain Fundamentals of Astrology)
Publication of De Fundamentis Astrologiae Certioribus (Concerning the More Certain Fundamentals of Astrology)
1604
1st January
Astronomiae Pars Optica
Publication of Astronomiae Pars Optica (The Optical Part of Astronomy), describes the astronomical implications of optics such as parallax and the apparent sizes of heavenly bodies
1st January
Astronomiae Pars Optica (The Optical Part of Astronomy), describes the astronomical implications of optics such as parallax and the apparent sizes of heavenly bodies
Publication of Astronomiae Pars Optica (The Optical Part of Astronomy), describes the astronomical implications of optics such as parallax and the apparent sizes of heavenly bodies
1st January
Discovery of Parallax
Publication of Astronomiae Pars Optica (The Optical Part of Astronomy), describes the astronomical implications of optics such as parallax and the apparent sizes of heavenly bodies
1604
Discovery of Eye Lens
Extends his study of optics to the human eye, and is generally considered by neuroscientists to be the first to recognize that images are projected inverted and reversed by the eyes lens onto the retina
1605
1605
Discovery of Planetary Motion
Finding that an elliptical orbit fit the Mars data, concludes that all planets move in ellipses, with the sun at one focus-Keplers first law of planetary motion
1605
Law of Planetary Motion
Finding that an elliptical orbit fit the Mars data, concludes that all planets move in ellipses, with the sun at one focus-Keplers first law of planetary motion
1609
1609
Astronomia nova
Publication of Astronomia nova (New Astronomy)
1609
Astronomia Nova
Publishes laws of elliptical planetary motion that prepare celestial mechanics for Newtonian gravity.
1609
Astronomia nova (New Astronomy)
Publication of Astronomia nova (New Astronomy)
1611
1611
Jupiter Moons
Publishes support for Galileo's discovery of satellites orbiting Jupiter.
1615
1615
Copernican System
Publication of three volumes of Epitome astronomia Copernicanae (Epitome of Copernican Astronomy)
1615
Epitome astronomia Copernicanae
Publication of three volumes of Epitome astronomia Copernicanae (Epitome of Copernican Astronomy)
1615
three volumes of Epitome astronomia Copernicanae (Epitome of Copernican Astronomy)
Publication of three volumes of Epitome astronomia Copernicanae (Epitome of Copernican Astronomy)
1619
1619
De Fundamentis Astrologiae Certioribus
Publication of Harmonice Mundi (Harmony of the Worlds). Publication of De Fundamentis Astrologiae Certioribus (Concerning the More Certain Fundamentals of Astrology)
1619
De Fundamentis Astrologiae Certioribus (Concerning the More Certain Fundamentals of Astrology)
Publication of Harmonice Mundi (Harmony of the Worlds). Publication of De Fundamentis Astrologiae Certioribus (Concerning the More Certain Fundamentals of Astrology)
1619
Harmonice Mundi
Publication of Harmonice Mundi (Harmony of the Worlds). Publication of De Fundamentis Astrologiae Certioribus (Concerning the More Certain Fundamentals of Astrology)
1619
Harmonice Mundi (Harmony of the Worlds)
Publication of Harmonice Mundi (Harmony of the Worlds). Publication of De Fundamentis Astrologiae Certioribus (Concerning the More Certain Fundamentals of Astrology)
1619
Third Law of Planetary Motion
States the harmonic relation between orbital period and distance from the Sun.
1627
1627
Rudolphine Tables
Publication of the Rudolphine Tables
1627
Transit of Mercury Prediction
Kepler's Rudolphine Tables predict that Mercury will cross the face of the Sun in November 1631.
1627
Transit of Venus Prediction
Kepler's Rudolphine Tables predict a transit of Venus for 1631, although the event is not visible from Europe.
1630
15th November
Death of Johannes Kepler
Death of Johannes Kepler
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Editorial provenance
Sources and editorial review
Compiled and edited by World History Database
Biography timelines are compiled from the World History Database and checked against established historical and biographical reference sources.
Last reviewed: September 2026.
Reference points include Encyclopaedia Britannica biographies, The National Archives, Library of Congress, and U.S. National Archives. Individual database records may draw on additional specialist sources appropriate to the person, period or event.
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