Durchmusterung
Systematic star survey cataloguing 342,198 stars down to magnitude 9.5.
Durchmusterung, from the German word for 'run-through examination', refers to a systematic survey of celestial objects. The most famous is the Bonner Durchmusterung (BD), an astrometric star catalogue of the northern sky published by the Bonn Observatory in Germany from 1859 to 1863, with an extension published in 1886. It was initiated by Friedrich Argelander and used observations largely carried out by his assistants, cataloguing 342,198 stars down to approximate apparent magnitude 9.5, covering the sky from 90°N to 2°S declination. The term has also been used for other astronomical surveys, including searches for celestial objects beyond stars and scans in non-visible wavelengths.
- field
- Astronomy
- known_for
- Bonner Durchmusterung star catalogue and charts
- initiated_by
- Friedrich Argelander
- published_by
- Bonn Observatory, Germany
- publication_years
- 1859–1863 (original), 1886 (extension)
- number_of_stars
- 342,198 (original catalogue)
Lore & Background
The format of a BD number is exemplified by 'BD−16 1592', the BD number of Sirius, indicating it is the 1592nd star listed in the declination zone between −16 and −17 degrees, counting from 0 hours right ascension. Stellar positions and zone boundaries use an equinox for the epoch of B1855.0. The southern sky was supplemented by the Cordoba Durchmusterung (CD), made visually, and the Cape Photographic Durchmusterung (CP or CPD), conducted by the then-new photographic technique. Southern stars are identified by CD and CPD numbers in a manner similar to the BD numbering system.
Reader's Guide
The Bonner Durchmusterung was foundational for many astronomical research projects, from studies of celestial mechanics and the Solar System to the nascent field of astrophysics. Its deficiency in covering the far southern sky led to supplementary surveys from Southern Hemisphere observatories. As positional accuracy became insufficient, astronomers and geodesists worked on a fundamental celestial coordinate system based on the Earth's rotation axis, the vernal equinox, and the ecliptic plane, leading to the Catalogues of Fundamental Stars (FK3, FK6). Modern counterparts include the Hipparcos satellite catalogues (Hipparcos, Tycho, Tycho-2) and the Gaia space observatory, which has catalogued a billion stars with accuracy down to 20 microarcseconds. BD star numbers are still used, allowing correlation with modern projects.
Did You Know?
- The Bonner Durchmusterung was published by the Bonn Observatory in Germany from 1859 to 1863, with an extension in 1886.
- The catalogue contains 342,198 stars down to approximate apparent magnitude 9.5.
- The BD number for Sirius is 'BD−16 1592', indicating its declination zone and entry number.
- The Cape Photographic Durchmusterung was conducted using the then-new photographic technique.
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