It is true, in one sense, that Tycho discovered the
new star, but it is equally true, in a different sense, that it was
the new star which discovered Tycho. Had it not been for this
opportune apparition, it is quite possible that Tycho might have
found a career in some direction less beneficial to science than that
which he ultimately pursued.
[PLATE: THE OBSERVATORY OF URANIBORG, ISLAND OF HVEN.]
When he reached his home on this memorable evening, Tycho immediately
applied his great quadrant to the measurement of the place of the new
star. His observations were specially directed to the determination
of the distance of the object. He rightly conjectured that if it
were very much nearer to us than the stars in its vicinity, the
distance of the brilliant body might be determined in a short time by
the apparent changes in its distance from the surrounding points. It
was speedily demonstrated that the new star could not be as near as
the moon, by the simple fact that its apparent place, as compared
with the stars in its neighbourhood, was not appreciably altered when
it was observed below the pole, and again above the pole at an
interval of twelve hours. Such observations were possible, inasmuch
as the star was bright enough to be seen in full daylight.
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