Gotha Observatory

Gotha Observatory
	Seeberg Observatory
Location	Gotha, Germany
Coordinates	50°56′0″N10°45′0″E / 50.93333°N 10.75000°E Coordinates: 50°56′0″N10°45′0″E / 50.93333°N 10.75000°E
Established	After 1787
Closed	1934
	Location of Gotha Observatory
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Last updated December 01, 2021

Gotha Observatory (Seeberg Observatory, Sternwarte Gotha or Seeberg-Sternwarte) was a German astronomical observatory located on Seeberg hill near Gotha, Thuringia, Germany.^[1] Initially the observatory was dedicated to astrometry, geodetic and meteorological observation and tracking the time.

History

Planning for the observatory began in 1787 by the court astronomer Baron Franz Xaver von Zach, with the financing of Ernest II, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg. It was based upon the Radcliffe Observatory in Oxford, England. The building was divided into five parts, with the central section holding a revolving dome. There were two wings to provide quarters for the staff.^[3]

During Peter Andreas Hansen's term, the observatory was dismantled and moved to a less exposed location in Gotha.^[3] The observatory was closed in 1934.^[4]

Instruments

Meridian Circle, at Gotha Observatory till 1936 Meridiankreis-Instrument.JPG — Meridian Circle, at Gotha Observatory till 1936

Around 1800, the observatory became an international center for astronomy, being the most modern astronomical institute primarily for its instruments.^[5] The instruments came from London, England, the standard place to acquire them in the 18th century.^[5]^[6] These included an eighteen-inch quadrant, a two-foot transit instrument, three Hadley sextants, an achromatic heliometer, a two-foot achromatic refractor, a Gregorian reflector and many clocks.^[5]

By the start of the nineteenth century improved instrumentation was acquired from Munich, the standard place to acquire them in the 19th century:^[4] consisting of a theodolite (Reichenbach, Utzschneider & Liebherr), a different heliometer (Fraunhofer), new mounting, and three-foot meridian circle (Ertel, Utzschneider & Fraunhofer). No spectroscopy or photography was performed at the observatory and the only astrophysical equipment of the observatory was a Zöllner photometer.^[5]

Directors

The observatory directors were as follows:^[7]

Franz Xaver von Zach, 1787–1802
Bernhard von Lindenau, 1802 - ?
Johann Franz Encke, 1822–1825^[8]
Peter Andreas Hansen 1825 - 1876^[8]
Karl Nikolaus Adalbert Krueger 1876 for four years^[9]
Hugo von Seeliger, 1881^[10]

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References

↑ Howse, D. (November 1986). "The Greenwich List of Observatories - a World List of Astronomical Observatories Instruments and Clocks - 1670-1850". Journal for the History of Astronomy. 17 (51): i-89. Bibcode:1986JHA....17A...1H. doi:10.1177/002182868601700401. S2CID 118045782.– see page A29.
↑ Schmadel, Lutz D. (2003). Dictionary of minor planet names (5th ed.). Springer. p. 109. ISBN 978-3-540-00238-3.
1 2 Armitage, A. (1949). "Baron von Zach and his astronomical correspondence". Popular Astronomy. 57: 326–332. Bibcode:1949PA.....57..326A.
1 2 Wolfschmidt, Gudrun (1998). "Gotha - the instruments of the observatory". Acta Historica Astronomiae. 3: 89–90. Bibcode:1998AcHA....3...89W.
1 2 3 4 Wolfschmidt, Gudrun (2005). "Gotha - the instruments of the observatory". Acta Historica Astronomiae. 3: 89. Bibcode:1998AcHA....3...89W . Retrieved 2009-05-16.
↑ Barton, William (1813). Memoirs of the Life of David Rittenhouse. E. Parker. pp. 130. ISBN 978-1-146-88042-8.
↑ Taylor, Marie Hansen; Kiliani, Lilian Bayard Taylor (1905). On two continents: memories of half a century. Doubleday, Page & company. p. 4. ISBN 978-0-548-98711-7 . Retrieved 2009-05-12.
1 2 S., E. C. (1921). "Calendar of Scientific Pioneers". Nature. 107 (2682): 124. Bibcode:1921Natur.107..124E. doi: 10.1038/107124a0 . Retrieved April 15, 2009.
↑ Royal Astronomical Society (1897). Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. Blackwell Scientific Publications. p. 224.
↑ Macpherson, Hector (1905). Astronomers of to-day and their work. Gall & Inglis. pp. 180.

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[1] Howse, D. (November 1986). "The Greenwich List of Observatories - a World List of Astronomical Observatories Instruments and Clocks - 1670-1850". Journal for the History of Astronomy. 17 (51): i-89. Bibcode:1986JHA....17A...1H. doi:10.1177/002182868601700401. S2CID 118045782.– see page A29.

[2] Schmadel, Lutz D. (2003). Dictionary of minor planet names (5th ed.). Springer. p. 109. ISBN 978-3-540-00238-3.

[pa57-3] 1 2 Armitage, A. (1949). "Baron von Zach and his astronomical correspondence". Popular Astronomy. 57: 326–332. Bibcode:1949PA.....57..326A.

[aha3-4] 1 2 Wolfschmidt, Gudrun (1998). "Gotha - the instruments of the observatory". Acta Historica Astronomiae. 3: 89–90. Bibcode:1998AcHA....3...89W.

[Gudrun-5] 1 2 3 4 Wolfschmidt, Gudrun (2005). "Gotha - the instruments of the observatory". Acta Historica Astronomiae. 3: 89. Bibcode:1998AcHA....3...89W . Retrieved 2009-05-16.

[6] Barton, William (1813). Memoirs of the Life of David Rittenhouse. E. Parker. pp. 130. ISBN 978-1-146-88042-8.

[7] Taylor, Marie Hansen; Kiliani, Lilian Bayard Taylor (1905). On two continents: memories of half a century. Doubleday, Page & company. p. 4. ISBN 978-0-548-98711-7 . Retrieved 2009-05-12.

[NPG-8] 1 2 S., E. C. (1921). "Calendar of Scientific Pioneers". Nature. 107 (2682): 124. Bibcode:1921Natur.107..124E. doi: 10.1038/107124a0 . Retrieved April 15, 2009.

[RSA-9] Royal Astronomical Society (1897). Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. Blackwell Scientific Publications. p. 224.

[10] Macpherson, Hector (1905). Astronomers of to-day and their work. Gall & Inglis. pp. 180.

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