German name: Georg Joachim von Lauchen. Austrian mystic who was the son of an alchemist, astrologer, and magician who was beheaded for sorcery. Rheticus studied mathematics at Zürich, where he met Paracelsus. He was a strong believer in astrology, and sought out Copernicus to study under him. He became Copernicus's only student and spokesman. He published a popularization of Copernicus's theories entitled Narratio Prima in 1540. He also managed to convince Copernicus shortly before his death to allow publication of De Revolutionibus Orbium Coelestium. Unfortunately, he left publication in the hands of Lutheran minister Andreas Osiander who did not believe that Copernicus's theory represented a physical model. He added an unauthorized preface stating that the contents was merely a device to simplify calculations.

Additional biographies: MacTutor (St. Andrews), Firenze, Bonn