The IBM 709 was an early scientific computer introduced by IBM in 1958. It was designed for complex calculations and was widely used in research and engineering applications. The machine featured magnetic core memory and could perform floating-point arithmetic, making it suitable for tasks that required high precision. The IBM 709 was part of the IBM 700/7000 series and was notable for its ability to handle large data sets. It supported programming languages like FORTRAN, which facilitated its use in various scientific fields. The computer played a significant role in advancing computing technology during its time.