Theoricae novae planetarum

work by Peuerbach

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 16, 2026

Quick Summary

Georg von Peuerbach's Theoricae novae planetarum (1454), or "New Theories of the Planets," was a significant astronomical textbook. It served as an updated and simplified introduction to Ptolemy's astronomical models, making them more accessible to students. This work eventually replaced the older Theorica planetarum communis and was widely used for centuries, influencing astronomers like Nicolaus Copernicus, Galileo Galilei, and Johannes Kepler. Peuerbach was instrumental in reviving the technical understanding of Ptolemaic astronomy in Europe and was also known for his use of sines in astronomical calculations.1

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

6 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

Georg von Peuerbach
Peuerbach’s best-known work, the Theoricae novae planetarum (1454; “New Theories of the Planets”), began as lectures to the Viennese “Citizens’ School” (Bürgerschule), which Regiomontanus copied in his notebook. An influential university textbook, the Theoricae novae planetarum eventually replaced the widely used, anonymous 13th-century Theorica planetarum communis (the common “Theory…
Read More
Peuerbach’s best-known work, the Theoricae novae planetarum (1454; “New Theories of the Planets”), began as lectures to the Viennese “Citizens’ School” (Bürgerschule), which Regiomontanus copied in his notebook. An influential university textbook, the Theoricae novae planetarum eventually replaced the widely used, anonymous 13th-century Theorica planetarum communis (the common “Theory…
Read More