The Astronomer Who Broke the Perfect Circle

Johannes Kepler revolutionized astronomy by proving that planets travel around the Sun in ellipses rather than perfect circles. Born in Württemberg in 1571, he studied at Tübingen, taught mathematics in Graz and joined Tycho Brahe in Prague. Using Brahe’s exceptionally accurate observations of Mars, Kepler formulated three laws of planetary motion. This documentary follows his intellectual battles, family tragedies, work in optics and the publications that prepared the way for Newton’s theory of gravity.

Kepler's laws turned the Copernican model from an elegant proposal into a predictive physical system. They made accurate planetary calculation possible, guided Newton toward universal gravitation and still govern spacecraft trajectories and exoplanet studies. Yet the discovery emerged through years of failed models, religious conflict and painstaking analysis of Mars. This documentary reveals how abandoning a beautiful assumption can uncover a deeper truth and permanently change humanity's picture of the cosmos.