What Happened in December 1684

Historical Events

Newton's De Motu Corporum in Gyrum

Dec 10 Isaac Newton's derivation of Kepler's laws from his theory of gravity, contained in the paper “De motu corporum in gyrum” (On the motion of bodies in an orbit), is read to the Royal Society by Edmond Halley.

Famous Birthdays

  • Dec 3 Ludvig Holberg, Baron of Holberg, founder of modern Danish and Norwegian literature, born in Bergen, Denmark-Norway (d. 1754)
  • Dec 22 Johann J Dillenius [Dillen], German botanist (Historia Muscorum), born in Darmstadt, Landgraviate of Hesse-Darmstadt, Holy Roman Empire (d. 1747)