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Willebrord Snellius[1][2] (born Willebrord Snel van Royen)[3] (13 June 1580[4] – 30 October 1626) was a Dutch astronomer and mathematician, commonly known as Snell. His name is usually associated with the law of refraction of light known as Snell's law.[5]
In 1615, Snellius, after the work of Eratosthenes in Ptolemaic Egypt in the 3rd century BC, probably was the first to try to do a large-scale experiment to measure the circumference of the earth using triangulation.[7][8] He was helped in his measurements by two of his students, the Austrian barons Erasmus and Casparus Sterrenberg. In several cities he also received support of friends among the city leaders (regenten). In his work The terrae Ambitus vera quantitate (1617) under the author's name ("The Dutch Eratosthenes") Snellius describes the methods he used. He came up with an estimate of 28,500 Rhineland rods – in modern units 107.37 km[9] for one degree of latitude. 360 times 107.37 then gives a circumference of the Earth of 38,653 km. The actual circumference is 40,075 kilometers, so Snellius underestimated the circumference of the earth by 3.5%.
Snellius came to his result by calculating the distances between a number of high points in the plain west and southwest of the Netherlands using triangulation. In order to carry out these measurements accurately Snellius had a large quadrant built, with which he could accurately measure angles in tenths of degrees. This quadrant can still be seen in the Museum Boerhaave in Leiden. In a network of fourteen cities a total of 53 triangulation measurements were made. In his calculations Snellius made use of a solution for what is now called the Snellius–Pothenot problem.
The actual distance between the two church spires in Alkmaar and Breda, two places nearly on the same meridian,[11] is 116.1 kilometers.[12] The difference in latitude between Alkmaar (52° 37' 57" N) and Breda (51° 35' 20" N) is 1.0436 degree. Assuming Snellius corrected for this he must have calculated a distance of 107.37 * 1.0436 = 112.05 kilometers between the Sint-Laurenskerk in Alkmaar and the Grote Kerk in Breda.
Snellius was also a distinguished mathematician, producing a new method for calculating π—the first such improvement since ancient times. He discovered the law of refraction in 1621.[13]
Other worksedit
Cyclometricus, 1621
In addition to the Eratosthenes Batavus, he published Cyclometricus, de circuli dimensione (1621), and Tiphys Batavus (1624). He also edited Coeli et siderum in eo errantium observationes Hassiacae (1618), containing the astronomical observations of Landgrave William IV of Hesse. A work on trigonometry (Doctrina triangulorum) authored by Snellius was published a year after his death.[6]
Deathedit
Snellius died in Leiden in October 1626, at the age of 46 from an illness diagnosed as colic.[14] His grave can be seen in the Pieterskerk, Leiden.
Coeli et siderum in eo errantium observationes Hassicae, 1618
^For a reconstruction of this discovery see Hentschel 2001. It is now known that this law was already known to Ibn Sahl in 984. The same law was also investigated by Ptolemy and in the Middle Ages by Witelo, but due to lack of adequate mathematical instruments (i.e. trigonometric functions) their results were saved as tables, not functions.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Snell, Willebrord". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 25 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 293.
Klaus Hentschel: Das Brechungsgesetz in der Fassung von Snellius. Rekonstruktion seines Entdeckungspfades und eine Übersetzung seines lateinischen Manuskriptes sowie ergänzender Dokumente. Archive for History of Exact Sciences 55,4 (2001), doi:10.1007/s004070000026.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Willebrord Snellius.
Works by Willebrord Snellius at Open Library(in Latin)
Works by or about Willebrord Snellius at Internet Archive(in Latin)
January 01, 1970
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You can help expand this article with text translated from the corresponding article in Dutch August 2021 Click show for important translation instructions View a machine translated version of the Dutch article Machine translation like DeepL or Google Translate is a useful starting point for translations but translators must revise errors as necessary and confirm that the translation is accurate rather than simply copy pasting machine translated text into the English Wikipedia Do not translate text that appears unreliable or low quality If possible verify the text with references provided in the foreign language article You must provide copyright attribution in the edit summary accompanying your translation by providing an interlanguage link to the source of your translation A model attribution edit summary is Content in this edit is translated from the existing Dutch Wikipedia article at nl Willebrord Snel van Royen see its history for attribution You may also add the template Translated nl Willebrord Snel van Royen to the talk page For more guidance see Wikipedia Translation Willebrord Snellius 1 2 born Willebrord Snel van Royen 3 13 June 1580 4 30 October 1626 was a Dutch astronomer and mathematician commonly known as Snell His name is usually associated with the law of refraction of light known as Snell s law 5 Willebrord SnelliusWillebrord Snel van Royen 1580 1626 Born13 June 1580Leiden Dutch RepublicDied30 October 1626 1626 10 30 aged 46 Leiden Dutch RepublicNationalityDutchAlma materUniversity of LeidenKnown forSnell s lawSnellius triangulationSnellius Pothenot problemScientific careerFieldsAstronomy and mathematicsInstitutionsUniversity of LeidenAcademic advisorsLudolph van CeulenRudolph SnelliusNotable studentsJacobus Golius The lunar crater Snellius is named after Willebrord Snellius The Royal Netherlands Navy has named three survey ships after Snellius including a currently serving vessel Contents 1 Biography 1 1 Snellius triangulation 1 2 Mathematics and physics 1 3 Other works 1 4 Death 2 Honours 3 Works 4 Notes 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksBiography editWillebrord Snellius was born in Leiden Netherlands In 1613 he succeeded his father Rudolph Snel van Royen 1546 1613 as professor of mathematics at the University of Leiden 6 Snellius triangulation edit See also Triangulation surveying Willebrord Snellius It has been suggested that this section be split out into another article titled Snellius triangulation Discuss May 2021 nbsp Quadrant of SnelliusImage Museum Boerhaave Leiden In 1615 Snellius after the work of Eratosthenes in Ptolemaic Egypt in the 3rd century BC probably was the first to try to do a large scale experiment to measure the circumference of the earth using triangulation 7 8 He was helped in his measurements by two of his students the Austrian barons Erasmus and Casparus Sterrenberg In several cities he also received support of friends among the city leaders regenten In his work The terrae Ambitus vera quantitate 1617 under the author s name The Dutch Eratosthenes Snellius describes the methods he used He came up with an estimate of 28 500 Rhineland rods in modern units 107 37 km 9 for one degree of latitude 360 times 107 37 then gives a circumference of the Earth of 38 653 km The actual circumference is 40 075 kilometers so Snellius underestimated the circumference of the earth by 3 5 Snellius came to his result by calculating the distances between a number of high points in the plain west and southwest of the Netherlands using triangulation In order to carry out these measurements accurately Snellius had a large quadrant built with which he could accurately measure angles in tenths of degrees This quadrant can still be seen in the Museum Boerhaave in Leiden In a network of fourteen cities a total of 53 triangulation measurements were made In his calculations Snellius made use of a solution for what is now called the Snellius Pothenot problem nbsp Snellius Triangulation 1615 By necessity Snellius s high points were nearly all church spires There were hardly any other tall buildings at that time in the west of the Netherlands More or less ordered from north to south and or in successive order of measuring Snellius used a network of fourteen measure points Alkmaar St Laurenskerk Haarlem Sint Bavokerk Leiden a then new part built in 1599 of the City walls 10 The Hague Sint Jacobskerk Amsterdam Oude Kerk Utrecht Cathedral of Utrecht Zaltbommel Sint Maartenskerk Gouda Sint Janskerk Oudewater Sint Michaelskerk Rotterdam Sint Laurenskerk Dordrecht Grote Kerk Willemstad Koepelkerk Bergen op Zoom Gertrudiskerk Breda Grote KerkThe actual distance between the two church spires in Alkmaar and Breda two places nearly on the same meridian 11 is 116 1 kilometers 12 The difference in latitude between Alkmaar 52 37 57 N and Breda 51 35 20 N is 1 0436 degree Assuming Snellius corrected for this he must have calculated a distance of 107 37 1 0436 112 05 kilometers between the Sint Laurenskerk in Alkmaar and the Grote Kerk in Breda nbsp Commemorative plaque on Snellius house in Leiden Mathematics and physics edit Snellius was also a distinguished mathematician producing a new method for calculating p the first such improvement since ancient times He discovered the law of refraction in 1621 13 Other works edit nbsp Cyclometricus 1621 In addition to the Eratosthenes Batavus he published Cyclometricus de circuli dimensione 1621 and Tiphys Batavus 1624 He also edited Coeli et siderum in eo errantium observationes Hassiacae 1618 containing the astronomical observations of Landgrave William IV of Hesse A work on trigonometry Doctrina triangulorum authored by Snellius was published a year after his death 6 Death edit Snellius died in Leiden in October 1626 at the age of 46 from an illness diagnosed as colic 14 His grave can be seen in the Pieterskerk Leiden nbsp Coeli et siderum in eo errantium observationes Hassicae 1618Honours editSnellius Glacier in Antarctica is named after Willebrord Snellius Works editEratosthenes Batavus in Latin Lugduni Batavorum Joost van Colster Joris Abrahamsz van der Marsce 1617 Coeli et siderum in eo errantium observationes Hassicae in Latin Lugduni Batauorum Joost van Colster 1618 Cyclometricus in Latin Lugduni Batavorum Matthijs Elzevier Bonaventura Elzevier 1621 Doctrinae triangulorum canonicae libri quatuor in Latin Lugduni Batavorum Joannes Maire 1627 Notes edit Willebrord Snellius at the Leiden Digital Family Tree Eerste Nederlandse Systematisch Ingerichte Encyclopaedie Encarta Winkler Prins Grote Oosthoek Eerste Nederlandse Systematisch Ingerichte Encyclopaedie Sometimes mistakenly noted as 1590 or 1591 Cf P C Molhuysen P J Blok eds 1927 Snellius Willebrord Nieuw Nederlandsch biografisch woordenboek Leiden For a reconstruction of this discovery see Hentschel 2001 It is now known that this law was already known to Ibn Sahl in 984 The same law was also investigated by Ptolemy and in the Middle Ages by Witelo but due to lack of adequate mathematical instruments i e trigonometric functions their results were saved as tables not functions a b Chisholm 1911 Haasbroek N D 1968 Gemma Frisius Tycho Brahe and Snellius and their triangulation Publ Netherl Geod Comm Delft 1 Torge W Muller J 2012 Geodesy De Gruyter Textbook De Gruyter p 5 ISBN 978 3 11 025000 8 Retrieved 2 May 2021 a Rhenish rod is in this calculation considered as 3 767358 meter the tower of the Sint Pieterskerk had collapsed in 1512 There is a difference of two 0 02 degrees Calculated on the basis of the coordinates given in the Dutch language wikipedia of the Sint Laurenskerk in Alkmaar and the Grote Kerk in Breda Snellius biographies PDF dwc knaw nl retrieved 15 August 2019 De Wreede L C 2007 Willebrord Snellius 1580 1626 a humanist reshaping the mathematical sciences Utrecht UniversitySee also editSnell Huygens refinementReferences editWillebrord Snellius 1580 1626 a humanist reshaping the mathematical sciences thesis of Liesbeth de Wreede Dissertation Utrecht 2007 N Haasbroek Gemma Frisius Tycho Brahe and Snellius and their triangulations Delft 1968 Struik Dirk Jan 1970 1980 Snel Willebrord Dictionary of Scientific Biography Vol XII New York Charles Scribner s Sons ISBN 978 0 684 10114 9 Snellius Willebrord Nieuw Nederlandsch Biografisch Woordenboek Vol VII O Connor John J Robertson Edmund F Willebrord van Royen Snell MacTutor History of Mathematics Archive University of St Andrews nbsp This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain Chisholm Hugh ed 1911 Snell Willebrord Encyclopaedia Britannica Vol 25 11th ed Cambridge University Press p 293 Klaus Hentschel Das Brechungsgesetz in der Fassung von Snellius Rekonstruktion seines Entdeckungspfades und eine Ubersetzung seines lateinischen Manuskriptes sowie erganzender Dokumente Archive for History of Exact Sciences 55 4 2001 doi 10 1007 s004070000026 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Willebrord Snellius Willebrord Snellius at the Mathematics Genealogy Project nbsp Works by Willebrord Snellius at Open Library nbsp in Latin Works by or about Willebrord Snellius at Internet Archive in Latin Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Willebrord Snellius amp oldid 1222645316, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
