Hipparchos

Hipparchus was a Greek astronomer and mathematician from around 190-120 BCE, renowned for his work in studying the stars and planets. He developed early methods to measure the positions and brightness of celestial objects, creating one of the first star catalogs. Hipparchus also invented the system of dividing the year into 12 zodiac signs and is credited with discovering the precession of the equinoxes—a slow wobble in Earth’s rotational axis that causes star positions to shift gradually over centuries. His contributions laid the groundwork for modern astronomy, helping us better understand the movement and measurement of celestial bodies.