Charles Malapert (1581–1630) was a

Jesuit , image = Ihs-logo.svg , image_size = 175px , caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits , abbreviation = SJ , nickname = Jesuits , formation = , founders ...

writer,

astronomer An astronomer is a scientist in the field of astronomy who focuses their studies on a specific question or field outside the scope of Earth. They observe astronomical objects such as stars, planets, natural satellite, moons, comets and galaxy, g ...

and proponent of Aristotelian

cosmology Cosmology () is a branch of physics and metaphysics dealing with the nature of the universe. The term ''cosmology'' was first used in English in 1656 in Thomas Blount (lexicographer), Thomas Blount's ''Glossographia'', and in 1731 taken up in ...

, from the

Spanish Netherlands Spanish Netherlands (Spanish: Países Bajos Españoles; Dutch: Spaanse Nederlanden; French: Pays-Bas espagnols; German: Spanische Niederlande.) (historically in Spanish: ''Flandes'', the name "Flanders" was used as a ''pars pro toto'') was the Ha ...

. He was considered one of the intellectual champions of the

Roman Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

. He used observations of

comet A comet is an icy, small Solar System body that, when passing close to the Sun, warms and begins to release gases, a process that is called outgassing. This produces a visible atmosphere or coma, and sometimes also a tail. These phenomena ar ...

s and

star A star is an astronomical object comprising a luminous spheroid of plasma (physics), plasma held together by its gravity. The List of nearest stars and brown dwarfs, nearest star to Earth is the Sun. Many other stars are visible to the naked ...

s of the southern sky to attack the hypotheses of Copernicus and Galileo. He is also known for observations of sunspots and of the lunar surface, and the crater Malapert on the Moon is named after him. Malapert was born at

Mons Mons (; German and nl, Bergen, ; Walloon and pcd, Mont) is a city and municipality of Wallonia, and the capital of the province of Hainaut, Belgium. Mons was made into a fortified city by Count Baldwin IV of Hainaut in the 12th century. T ...

. He worked closely with the Jesuit

Alexius Sylvius Polonus Alexius Sylvius Polonus (1593 - c. 1653) was a Polish Jesuit astronomer and maker of astronomical instruments. He adopted the added name of Polonus, meaning "Pole" in Latin. Sylvius studied at the Jesuit College in Kalisz. The Belgian Jesuit C ...

in at the Jesuit College in

Kalisz (The oldest city of Poland) , image_skyline = , image_caption = ''Top:'' Town Hall, Former "Calisia" Piano Factory''Middle:'' Courthouse, "Gołębnik" tenement''Bottom:'' Aerial view of the Kalisz Old Town , image_flag = POL Kalisz flag.svg ...

and at the

University of Douai The University of Douai (french: Université de Douai) ( nl, Universiteit van Dowaai) is a former university in Douai, France. With a medieval heritage of scholarly activities in Douai, the university was established in 1559 and lectures started ...

. In 1630, Malapert was called to Spain to occupy a newly created chair in the Jesuit Colegio Imperial de Madrid. However, he fell ill during the journey and died in

Vitoria-Gasteiz es, vitoriano, vitoriana, , population_density_km2 = auto , blank_name_sec1 = Official language(s) , blank_info_sec1 = Spanish, Basque , timezone = CET , utc_offset = +1 , timezone_DST ...

shortly after his arrival in Spain. Sylvius continued on. Apart from being an astronomer and a mathematician, Malapert also wrote Latin poems and theatre plays that became modest bestsellers during the 17th century.

Works

Bibliography

* DE VRIENDT, Fr. "Un savant montois au temps de l'apogée des Jésuites. Le père Charles Malapert s.j. (1581–1630)", in "Les Jésuites à Mons, 1598–1998. Liber Memorialis", dir. J. LORY, J. WALRAVENS and A. MINETTE, Mons, 1999, pp. 106–135.

External links

*Arithmeticae practicae brevis institutio, Car Malapert, 1679
full text

Alexander Birkenmajer, Alexius Sylvius Polonus (1593 ca. 1653), a little-known maker of astronomical instruments
1581 births 1630 deaths Jesuits of the Spanish Netherlands Astronomers from the Spanish Netherlands People from Mons Jesuit scientists {{Europe-astronomer-stub

See also

Works

Bibliography

External links