A life of research
Born in England in 1643 by the Gregorian calendar, he studied and taught at Cambridge. His research ranged across mathematics, optics and motion.
He built a reflecting telescope and investigated the separation of white light into colours. Encouraged and supported by Edmond Halley, he published the Principia in 1687.
Understanding the contribution
Gravitational attraction depends on masses and decreases with the square of distance. Combined with the laws of motion, it explains Kepler’s patterns and permits the calculation of new trajectories.
An orbit can therefore be understood as continuous falling around a celestial body. The theory works remarkably well in many situations, although general relativity is needed for certain precise or extreme effects.