On October 9, 1623 Ferdinand Verbiest was born in the town of Pittem (present-day Belgium).
In the Spanish city he was ordained a priest in 1655 at the age of 32.
In Rome he completed his training by studying astronomy.
Ferdinand wanted to be a missionary in Central America, but the Society had other plans for him.
The instruments created by Verbiest at the Beijing Imperial Observatory.
From that date until 1660 he was in charge of the Shaanxi mission.
Verbiest devoted himself to numerous projects.
The Verbiest instruments at the Beijing Astronomical Observatory.
He then worked to rebuild and improve the Astronomical Observatory, work on which was completed in 1673.
Some of the instruments created by Verbiest are still on top of the Ancient Astronomical Observatory in Beijing.
The Verbiest Steam Vehicle.
He was buried in the Zhalan Jesuit Cemetery, near his friend and teacher Johann Adam Schall von Bell.
The replica of the celestial globe outside the Verbiest Institute of the University of Leuven.
Photo:FrDr/Wikimedia
This article was originally published inLa Brujula Verde.
It has been translated from Spanish and republished with permission.
