Biography
Aryabhata was the first of the great mathematician-astronomers of classical India. In the Aryabhatiya, written at the age of 23, he modelled planetary motion, explained that the apparent daily rotation of the sky is caused by the Earth spinning on its axis, and correctly attributed eclipses to shadows rather than mythical demons.
Scientific contributions
- Wrote the Aryabhatiya (499 CE), a foundational treatise of Indian astronomy
- Proposed that the Earth rotates on its axis
- Gave accurate methods for computing eclipses and a refined value of pi
Major publications
Knowledge connections
- Part ofIndian Astronomy
- PublishedAryabhatiya
Sources & references
The primary and reference sources this topic draws on.
- BritannicaEncyclopaedia Britannica
General reference for the history of astronomy, biographies, and cultural context.