1639 in science

The year 1639 in science and technology involved some significant events.

Astronomy

• Giovanni Battista Zupi observes that the planet Mercury has orbital phases.
• December 4 (November 24 in
  transit of Venus
  , predicted by Horrocks.

Exploration

• The
  Orinoco River basins, is first encountered by Europeans

• Girard Desargues introduces the concept of infinity into geometry.^[1]

Births

• April 12 –
  naturalist and physician (died 1712
  )
• December 18 –
  German astronomer (died 1710
  )
• approx. date – Daniel Greysolon, Sieur du Lhut, French explorer (died 1710)

Deaths

• June 6 – Peter Crüger, German polymath (born 1580)
• August 7 – Martin van den Hove, Dutch astronomer (born 1605)
• Italian mathematician (born 1569)^[2]