1603 in science

Astronomy

• Johann Bayer publishes the star atlas Uranometria, the first to cover the entire celestial sphere, and introducing a new system of star designation which becomes known as the Bayer designation.
• Dutch explorer Frederick de Houtman publishes his observations of the southern hemisphere constellations.

Exploration

• Acadia, the French colony in North America, is founded.

Mathematics

• Pietro Cataldi finds the sixth and seventh perfect numbers.

Medicine

• Girolamo Fabrici studies leg veins and notices that they have valves which only allow blood to flow toward the heart.

Institutions

• August 17 – Accademia dei Lincei, the oldest scientific academy in the world, is founded in Rome by Federico Cesi.

Births

• September 15 – John Jonston, Polish naturalist and physician (died 1675)
• Blaise Francois Pagan, French military engineer (died 1665)
• Abel Tasman, Dutch explorer (died 1659)

Deaths

• February 23 – François Viète, French mathematician (born 1540)
• Robert Alaine, English astronomer (born 1558)

References

References

1. Asimov, Isaac. "[[Asimov's Biographical Encyclopedia of Science and Technology]]".
2. de Houtman, Fr.. (1603). "Spraeck ende woord-boeck, in de Maleysche ende Madagaskarsche talen, met vele Arabische ende Turcsche woorden. Inhoudende twaelf tsamensprekeninghen inde Maleysche, ende drie in de Madagaskarsche spraken, met alderhande woorden ende namen, ghestela naer dordre vanden A.B.C. alles int Nederduytsch gestellt: noch zijn hier byghevoecht de declinatien van vele vaste Sterren, staende ontrent den Zuyd-pool". Jan Evertsz. Cloppenburch.
3. Crilly, Tony. (2007). "50 Mathematical Ideas you really need to know". Quercus.