Rheita, Antonius Maria Schyrleus de

Alternate Names

Schierl, Johann Burchard; Schürle, Johann Burchard; Schyrle, Johann Burchard

Born Reutte, Tyrol, (Austria), 1604

Died Ravenna, (Italy), 1659 or 1660

Antonius de Rheita was a telescope maker, observer, and supporter of the Tychonic system. He described the bands of Jupiter and developed the compound eyepiece.

Rheita was born in a noble family; “de Rheita” was derived from his birthplace. Rheita was educated in the Augustinian abbey of Indersdorf, Bavaria. On 14 October 1623, he enrolled at the University of Ingolstadt, where optics and astronomy were taught in the tradition of Christoph Scheiner and Johann Cysat . Three years later, Rheita left without a degree to become a Capuchin monk in the monastery of Passau, taking the name Antonius Maria. In 1636, he left Passau to become reader in philosophy at the Capuchin monastery of Linz. There, he met Philipp Cristoph von Sötern, the elector of Trier, for whom he worked for several years. In 1642, Rheita was in the Capuchin...