Events
Isaac Newton publishes "Principia
Mathematica" which, among other
things explains the law of universal
gravitationGeorges Lemaitre proposes the Big Bang
theory which states that the universe
began from a single primordial atomEdwin Hubble discovers evidence of an
expanding universe which supports the
Big Bang theoryFriedrich Bassel observes the stellar
parallax - the apparent movement of the
stars due to the Earth's orbit of the SunArno Penzias and Robert Wilson discover
cosmic microwave background radiation
further supporting the Big Bang modelFerdinand Magellan observes the
Magellanic Clouds which are later
recognised as galaxies outside the Milky
WayKepler publishes "Astronomia Nova"
which explains the motion of the planets
using a heliocentric model of the universe and elliptical orbitsThomas Wright suggests that the Milky
Way galaxy is a flattened disk of stars
and that nebulae might be other
galaxiesWilliam Herschel constructs the first
map of the Milky WayErnst Opik demonstrates that the
Andromeda nebula lies outside the Milky
Way galaxy
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