Kepler
Kepler wrote five major astronomical works. Chronologically:
the Mysterium cosmographicum (1596)
the Astronomia nova (1609)
the Epitome astronomiae Copernicanae (1618–1622)
the Harmonice mundi (1619)
and the Tabulae Rudolphinae (1627).
The Mysterium cosmographicum (Cosmographical Mystery) expresses Kepler’s youthful enthusiasm and sounds the leading notes to themes that would persist throughout his career. Kepler’s elliptical orbits and the area speed law make their debut in the Astronomia nova (New Astronomy). (Although at this point Kepler regarded the area law as just an approximation to the inverse speed law.) The Epitome astronomiae Copernicanae (Epitome of Copernican Astronomy) completes and refines his theory. The Harmonice mundi (Harmonies of the World) contains the statement of Kepler’s 3rd law, its main scientific claim to fame. The Tabulae Rudolphinae (Rudolphine Tables) ultimately led to the widespread acceptance of Keplerian astronomy.
He also wrote several lesser astronomical works, and treatises on optics, on computing volumes, on the philosophy of science, a pamplet on snowflakes… The critical edition of his collected works runs to 22 volumes. I will focus just on the Mysterium cosmographicum and the Astronomia nova.
Diagonal Argument 