Full Name: Christiaan Huygens

Lived Between: 1629-1695

Nationality: Dutch

Primary Occupation: Astronomer

Claim to Fame: Christiaan Huygens is credited with the discovery of Saturn's rings and it's moon, Titan, and for inventing the pendulum clock.  Huygens also discovered the laws of centrifugal force.

Recommended Book: Huygens and Barrow, Newton and Hooke: Pioneers in Mathematical Analysis and Catastrophe Theory from Evolvements to Quasicrystals -- Vladimir I. Arnol'd; Paperback

Recommended Link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/huygens_christiaan.shtml