# Christiaan Huygens

Christiaan Huygens FRS (/ˈhɡənz/ HY-gənz,[4] also HOY-gənz,[5][6] Dutch: [ˈkrɪstijaːn ˈɦœyɣə(n)s] (); Latin: Hugenius; 14 April 1629 – 8 July 1695), also spelled Huyghens, was a Dutch mathematician, physicist, astronomer and inventor, who is widely regarded as one of the greatest scientists of all time and a major figure in the scientific revolution. In physics, Huygens made groundbreaking contributions in optics and mechanics, while as an astronomer he is chiefly known for his studies of the rings of Saturn and the discovery of its moon Titan. As an inventor, he improved the design of telescopes and invented the pendulum clock, a breakthrough in timekeeping and the most accurate timekeeper for almost 300 years. An exceptionally talented mathematician and physicist, Huygens was the first to idealize a physical problem by a set of parameters then analyze it mathematically (Horologium Oscillatorium),[7] and the first to fully mathematize a mechanistic explanation of an unobservable physical phenomenon (Traité de la Lumière).[8][9] For these reasons, he has been called the first theoretical physicist and one of the founders of modern mathematical physics.[10][11]

Christiaan Huygens
Born14 April 1629
Died8 July 1695 (aged 66)
The Hague, Dutch Republic
NationalityDutch
Alma materUniversity of Leiden
University of Angers
Known for
Scientific career
FieldsNatural Philosophy
Mathematics
Physics
Astronomy
Horology
InstitutionsRoyal Society of London