»Convinced that he had discovered a subtle geometric relationship between the diameters of the planetary orbits and their distances from the Sun, Kepler wrote Mysterium Cosmographicum ('the cosmic mystery'), published in 1596. The scheme worked well with the planetary distances then accepted, but even Kepler could see that it wasn't perfect. Assuming that better data on planetary orbits would bear out his theory, he devoted the rest of his life to justifying his vision through scientific observation and hard mathematical proofs. In pursuing his quest to pin down the cosmic mystery, Kepler transcended formidable obstacles in his personal and professional life and rose to become one of the immortal names in European astronomy.«