Johannes Regiomontanus

The mathematician, astronomer, and publisher Johannes Regiomontanus was born in Königsberg in Bavaria in 1436 under the name of Hans Müller and recognised a genius at the age of 12. In 1450-57 he studied in Vienna and died in Rome in 1476. At his places of activity in Italy, Bratislava, and Nuremberg, he produced numerous scientific publications whose great value for modern science consists in the fact that, based on antique knowledge, he reappraised the material of mathematical-astronomical sciences and introduced new research methods which enhanced mathematics, geometry, spherical astronomy, geography, and cartography. While doing so, he was always anxious to present the original antique publications in as pure a form as possible, to understand them, and to translate them correctly into Latin. The present volume contains his speech for the praise of mathematics and astronomy delivered in Padua during a lecture on Alfraganus, his publication list from Nuremberg, and an apology against his critics [all Latin-German], a text on comets with 16 tasks to be investigated, an index of names and items, and an appendix on his life and works.