SN 1572 (Tycho's Star, Tycho's Nova, Tycho's Supernova), or B Cassiopeiae (B Cas), was a supernova of Type Ia in the constellationCassiopeia, one of eight supernovae visible to the naked eye in historical records. It appeared in early November 1572 and was independently discovered by many individuals.
Its supernova remnant has been observed optically but was first detected at radio wavelengths. It is often known as 3C 10, a radio-source designation, although increasingly as Tycho's supernova remnant.
Tycho Brahe (/ˈtaɪkoʊˈbrɑː(h)i,-ˈbrɑː(hə)/TY-koh BRAH-(h)ee, - BRAH(-hə); Danish:[ˈtsʰykʰoˈpʁɑːə]; born Tyge Ottesen Brahe, Danish:[ˈtsʰyːjəˈʌtəsn̩ˈpʁɑːə]; 14 December 1546 – 24 October 1601), generally called Tycho for short, was a Danish astronomer of the Renaissance, known for his comprehensive and unprecedentedly accurate astronomical observations. He was known during his lifetime as an astronomer, astrologer, and alchemist. He was the last major astronomer before the invention of the telescope and has been described as the greatest pre-telescopic astronomer.
In 1572, Tycho noticed a completely new star that was brighter than any star or planet. Astonished by the existence of a star that ought not to have been there, he devoted himself to the creation of ever more accurate instruments of measurement over the next fifteen years (1576–1591). King Frederick II granted Tycho an estate on the island of Hven and the money to build Uraniborg, the first large observatory in Christian Europe. He later worked underground at Stjerneborg, where he realised that his instruments in Uraniborg were not sufficiently steady. His unprecedented research program both turned astronomy into the first modern science and also helped launch the Scientific Revolution.
