Friedrich Wilhelm Argelander
German astronomer who catalogued over 324,000 stars.
Friedrich Wilhelm August Argelander was a German astronomer known for his work on stellar brightnesses, positions, and distances. He developed practical methods for measuring these properties and created extensive star catalogues. His contributions advanced the field of observational astronomy.
Quick Facts
- Born
- 22 March 1799
- Birthplace
- Memel, Kingdom of Prussia
- Died
- 17 February 1875
- Place of death
- Bonn, Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire
- Citizenship
- Prussia
- Field
- Astronomy
- Education
- University of Königsberg
- Doctoral advisor
- Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel
Facts from the source article.
Life and work
Argelander was born in Memel to a father of Finnish descent and a German mother. He studied under Friedrich Bessel, becoming his assistant in 1820, and earned his Ph.D. in 1822 at the University of Königsberg. From 1823 to 1837 he directed the Finnish observatory, first in Turku and then in Helsinki, before moving to Bonn. There he designed and built a new observatory at the University of Bonn, funded by King Frederick William IV, a childhood friend who had lived with Argelander's family after the Prussian royal family fled to Memel during the Napoleonic Wars. Argelander developed practical methods for measuring stellar positions and magnitudes, and measured stellar distances using heliometers. He was the first astronomer to systematically study variable stars, introducing the modern system for identifying them. In 1842 he discovered that Groombridge 1830 had a very high proper motion, for many decades the highest known. Together with Adalbert Krüger and Eduard Schönfeld, he produced the Bonner Durchmusterung (1859–1862), a catalogue of over 324,000 stars, the last star map published without photography. He also made a rough determination of the Sun's direction of motion. In 1863 he helped found the international Astronomische Gesellschaft.
Honors and legacy
Argelander was elected a foreign member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in 1846, a Foreign Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1855, and a Member of the Royal Academy of Science, Letters and Fine Arts of Belgium. He received the Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society in 1863 and the Order Pour le Mérite for Arts and Sciences in 1874. The Argelander-Institut für Astronomie was created in 2006 by merging three astronomical institutes of Bonn University. The lunar crater Argelander and asteroid 1551 Argelander bear his name.
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where was Friedrich Wilhelm Argelander born?
Friedrich Wilhelm Argelander was born on 22 March 1799 in Memel, Kingdom of Prussia.
When did Friedrich Wilhelm Argelander die?
Friedrich Wilhelm Argelander died on 17 February 1875 in Bonn, Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire.
More in People Associated with Astronomical Catalogues
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced