See Also

Christiaan Huygens

Christiaan Huygens , was a Dutch Netherlands

The Netherlands is the Europe [i]an part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands [i] , which is formed ... 

 mathematician Mathematics

Mathematics is the discipline that deals with concepts such as quantity [i], structure [i], space [i] a ... 

 and physicist Physics

Physics , the most fundamental physical science [i], is concerned with the underlying principles of the ... 

; born in The Hague The Hague

The Hague is the third-largest city in the Netherlands [i] after Amsterdam [i] and Rotterdam [i] ... 

 as the son of Constantijn Huygens Constantijn Huygens

Constantijn Huygens was a Dutch [i] poet [i] and composer [i], Secretary to two Princes, ... 

. He studied law at the University of Leiden Leiden University

Leiden University, located in the city of Leiden [i], is the oldest [i] ... 

 and the College of Orange in Breda Breda

Breda is a municipality [i] and a city in the southern part of the Netherlands [i]. ... 

 before turning to science. Historians commonly associate Huygens with the scientific revolution. Huygens generally receives minor credit for his role in the development of modern calculus Calculus

Calculus is a central branch of mathematics [i], developed from algebra [i] and geometry [i]. ... 

. He also achieved note for his arguments that light Light

Light is electromagnetic radiation [i] with a wavelength [i] that is visible to the eye [i] or, in a technical [i] ... 

 consisted of wave Wave

[i], often transferring [[energy]... 

s; see: wave-particle duality Wave–particle duality

[i] exhibit [[property|properties]... 

. In 1655, he discovered Saturn Saturn

Saturn is the sixth planet [i] from the Sun [i]. ... 

's moon Titan.

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Timeline

1629   Born

1656   The pendulum clock Pendulum clock

A pendulum clock uses a pendulum as its time base.... 

 is invented by Christiaan Huygens.

1659   Christiaan Huygens - ''Systema Saturnium''

1695   Died



Encyclopedia



Christiaan Huygens , was a Dutch Netherlands

The Netherlands is the Europe [i]an part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands [i] , which is formed ... 

 mathematician Mathematics

Mathematics is the discipline that deals with concepts such as quantity [i], structure [i], space [i] a ... 

 and physicist Physics

Physics , the most fundamental physical science [i], is concerned with the underlying principles of the ... 

; born in The Hague The Hague

The Hague is the third-largest city in the Netherlands [i] after Amsterdam [i] and Rotterdam [i] ... 

 as the son of Constantijn Huygens Constantijn Huygens

Constantijn Huygens was a Dutch [i] poet [i] and composer [i], Secretary to two Princes, ... 

. He studied law at the University of Leiden Leiden University

Leiden University, located in the city of Leiden [i], is the oldest [i] ... 

 and the College of Orange in Breda Breda

Breda is a municipality [i] and a city in the southern part of the Netherlands [i].
... 

 before turning to science. Historians commonly associate Huygens with the scientific revolution.

Huygens generally receives minor credit for his role in the development of modern calculus Calculus

Calculus is a central branch of mathematics [i], developed from algebra [i] and geometry [i]. ... 

. He also achieved note for his arguments that light Light

Light is electromagnetic radiation [i] with a wavelength [i] that is visible to the eye [i] or, in a technical [i] ... 

 consisted of wave Wave

[i], often transferring [[energy]... 

s; see: wave-particle duality Wave–particle duality

[i] exhibit [[property|properties]... 

. In 1655, he discovered Saturn Saturn

Saturn is the sixth planet [i] from the Sun [i]. ... 

's moon Titan. He also examined Saturn's planetary ring Planetary ring

A planetary ring is a ring of dust and other small particles orbit [i]ing around a planet [i] in a flat ... 

s, and in 1656 he discovered that those rings consisted of rocks. In the same year he observed the Orion Nebula Orion Nebula

image = The entire Orion Nebula in visible light
... 

. Using his modern telescope Telescope

The word "telescope" usually refers to optical telescope [i]s, but there are telescopes for most of the ... 

 he succeeded in subdividing the nebula into different star Star

A star is a massive, compact body of plasma [i] in outer space [i] that is held together by its ... 

s. He also discovered several interstellar nebulae Nebula

A nebula is an interstellar cloud [i] of dust, gas and plasma [i]. ... 

 and some double star Double Star

Double Star is a science fiction [i] novel [i] by Robert A. Heinlein [i], first serialized in Astounding Science Fiction [i] ... 

s.

After Blaise Pascal Blaise Pascal

Blaise Pascal was a French [i] mathematician [i], physicist [i], and religious [i] philosopher [i] ... 

 encouraged him to do so, Huygens wrote the first book on probability theory, which he had published in 1657.

He also worked on the construction of accurate clock Clock

A clock is an instrument for measuring time [i] and for measuring time intervals of less than a day&mda... 

s, suitable for naval navigation Navigation

There are several traditions of navigation.... 

. In 1658 he published a book on this topic called Horologium. In fact his invention, the pendulum clock Pendulum clock

A pendulum clock uses a pendulum as its time base.... 

 , was a breakthrough in timekeeping. Devices known as escapements regulate the rate of a watch Watch

A watch is a small portable timepiece [i] or clock [i] that displays the time [i] and sometimes the day [i] ... 

 or clock Clock

A clock is an instrument for measuring time [i] and for measuring time intervals of less than a day&mda... 

, and the anchor escapement represented a major step in the development of accurate watches. Subsequent to this publication, Huygens discovered that the cycloid Cycloid

A cycloid is the curve defined by a fixed point on a wheel as it rolls, or, more precisely, the locus [i] ... 

 was an isochronous curve and, applied to pendulum clocks in the form of cycloidal cheeks, would ensure a regular swing of the pendulum from any height. The mathematical and practical details of this finding were published in "Horologium Oscillatorium" of 1673. Huygens also observed that two pendulums mounted on the same beam will come to swing in perfectly opposite directions, an observation he referred to as odd sympathy.

Huygens also developed a balance spring clock more or less contemporaneously with, though separately from, Robert Hooke Robert Hooke

Robert Hooke, FRS [i] was an English [i] polymath [i] who played an ... 

, and controversy over whose invention was the earlier persisted for centuries. In February 2006, a long-lost copy of Hooke's handwritten notes from several decades' Royal Society Royal Society

The Royal Society of London for the Improvement of Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Socie... 

 meetings was discovered in a cupboard in Hampshire, and the balance-spring controversy appears by evidence contained in those notes to be settled in favor of Hooke's claim.

The Royal Society Royal Society

The Royal Society of London for the Improvement of Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Socie... 

 elected Huygens a member in 1663. In the year 1666 Huygens moved to Paris Paris

native_name = Ville de Paris
|common_name = Paris
... 

 where he held a position at the French Academy of Sciences French Academy of Sciences

The French Academy of Sciences is a learned society [i], founded in 1666 [i] by Louis XIV [i]... 

 under the patronage of Louis XIV Louis XIV of France

Louis XIV ruled as King of France [i] and of Navarre [i] from ... 

. Using the Paris Observatory Paris Observatory

The Paris Observatory is the foremost astronomical [i] observatory of France [i], and one of t... 

  he made further astronomical Astronomy

Astronomy is the science [i] of celestial objects and phenomena [i] that originate outside the Earth's atmosphere [i] ... 

 observations. In 1684 he published "Astroscopia Compendiaria" which presented his new aerial telescope.

Huygens speculated in detail about life on other planets Extraterrestrial life

Extraterrestrial life is life [i] that may exist and originate outside the planet Earth [i], the only pl ... 

 . In his book Cosmotheoros, further entitled The celestial worlds discover'd: or, conjectures concerning the inhabitants, plants and productions of the worlds in the planets he imagined a universe brimming with life, much of it very similar to life on 17th century Earth. The liberal climate in the Netherlands of that time not only allowed but encouraged such speculation. In sharp contrast, philosopher Giordano Bruno Giordano Bruno

Giordano Bruno was an Italian [i] philosopher [i], priest [i], astronomer [i]/astrologer [i], and ... 

, who also believed in many inhabited worlds, was burned at the stake by the Italian authorities for his beliefs in 1600.

In 1675, Christian Huygens patent Patent

A patent is a set of exclusive right [i]s granted by a state [i] to a patentee for a fixed period of time [i] ... 

ed a pocket watch Pocket watch

A pocket watch is a strapless personal timepiece [i] that is carried in a pocket. ... 

. He also invented numerous other devices, including a 31 tone to the octave keyboard instrument which made use of his discovery of 31 equal temperament.

Huygens moved back to The Hague in 1681 after suffering serious illness. He attempted to return to France in 1685 but the revocation of the Edict of Nantes precluded this move. Huygens died in The Hague on July 8, 1695.

Named after Huygens

  • The Huygens probe Huygens probe

    The Huygens probe, supplied by the European Space Agency [i] and named after the Dutch 17th century ... 

    : The lander for the Saturnian moon Moon

    The Moon is Earth [i]'s only natural satellite [i]. ... 

     Titan, part of the Cassini-Huygens Mission Cassini-Huygens

    Cassini-Huygens is a joint NASA [i]/ESA [i]/ASI [i] unmanned space mission [i] ... 

     to Saturn
  • Asteroid 2801 Huygens
  • A crater Impact crater

    An impact crater is a circular or oval depression [i] on a surface, usually referring to a ... 

     on Mars Mars

    Mars is the fourth planet [i] from the Sun [i] in our solar system [i] and is named after Mars [i] ... 

  • A mountain on the Moon Moon

    The Moon is Earth [i]'s only natural satellite [i]. ... 

  • Huygens Software, a microscope image processing package.
  • Achromatic eyepiece design named about him
  • Huygens wavelets Wavelet

    In mathematics [i], wavelets, wavelet analysis, and the wavelet transform refers to the repr ... 

    , the fundamental mathematical basis for scalar diffraction Diffraction

    Diffraction refers to the various phenomena associated with wave propagation, such as the bending, sprea... 

     theory

See also

  • Bibliography of Christiaan Huygens

External links

    • translated into English by Silvanus P. Thompson, Project Gutenberg etext.
  • Christiaan Huygens' book on probability theory. An English translation published in 1714. Text pdf file.
  • exhibition from the Science Museum, London
  • Huygens–Fokker Foundation —on Huygens' 31 equal temperament and how it has been used
  • a digital edition of Smithsonian Libraries