Hermann B. W. Mucke is an Austrian astronomer and one of the most significant promoters of amateur astronomy

Amateur astronomy

Amateur astronomy, also called backyard astronomy and stargazing, is a hobby whose participants enjoy watching the night sky , and the plethora of objects found in it, mainly with portable telescopes and binoculars...

 in German-speaking Europe.

Career

Mucke studied physics at the Vienna University of Technology

Vienna University of Technology

Vienna University of Technology is one of the major universities in Vienna, the capital of Austria. Founded in 1815 as the "Imperial-Royal Polytechnic Institute" , it currently has about 26,200 students , 8 faculties and about 4,000 staff members...

 but under the influence of his teacher and mentor Oswald Thomas

Oswald Thomas

Oswald Thomas , was a German astronomer and a protagonist of the popularization of astronomy in Germany and Austria.-Career:...

 he soon took up the challenge of adult education

Adult education

Adult education is the practice of teaching and educating adults. Adult education takes place in the workplace, through 'extension' school or 'school of continuing education' . Other learning places include folk high schools, community colleges, and lifelong learning centers...

 in astronomy. In 1964 he was made head of the new Vienna city planetarium

Planetarium

A planetarium is a theatre built primarily for presenting educational and entertaining shows about astronomy and the night sky, or for training in celestial navigation...

 and made it an internationally reputed institution during his directorship. From 1971 onward Mucke was also the scientific director of the Urania

Urania (Vienna)

The Palace Urania is a public educational institute and observatory in Vienna.It was built according to the plans of Art Nouveau style architect Max Fabiani at the outlet of the Wien River and was opened in 1910 by Franz Joseph I of Austria as an educational facility with a public observatory...

 educational observatory.

On occasion of his retirement from both positions in 2000, the asteroid 7074 Muckea

7074 Muckea

7074 Muckea is a main-belt asteroid discovered on September 10, 1977 by N. S. Chernykh at the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory. It was named after Hermann Mucke, a significant Austrian promoter of public education in astronomy, in 2000....

 was named in honor of Hermann Mucke. In the preceding months the solar eclipse of August 11, 1999 had further heightened his popularity, the media referring to him as Mister Sonne ("Mr. Sun").

Mucke's most significant scientific achievements of practical astronomy are in celestial mechanics

Celestial mechanics

Celestial mechanics is the branch of astronomy that deals with the motions of celestial objects. The field applies principles of physics, historically classical mechanics, to astronomical objects such as stars and planets to produce ephemeris data. Orbital mechanics is a subfield which focuses on...

 and in historical astronomy

Historical astronomy

Historical astronomy is the science of analysing historic astronomical data. The American Astronomical Society , established 1899, states that its Historical Astronomy Division "...shall exist for the purpose of advancing interest in topics relating to the historical nature of astronomy...

. He collaborated with Jean Meeus

Jean Meeus

Jean Meeus is a Belgian astronomer specializing in celestial mechanics. The asteroid 2213 Meeus is named after him.Jean Meeus studied mathematics at the University of Leuven in Belgium, where he received the Degree of Licentiate in 1953...

 to compile a catalog of solar eclipse

Solar eclipse

As seen from the Earth, a solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Sun and the Earth, and the Moon fully or partially blocks the Sun as viewed from a location on Earth. This can happen only during a new moon, when the Sun and the Moon are in conjunction as seen from Earth. At least...

s, and later another catalog of lunar eclipse

Lunar eclipse

A lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes behind the Earth so that the Earth blocks the Sun's rays from striking the Moon. This can occur only when the Sun, Earth, and Moon are aligned exactly, or very closely so, with the Earth in the middle. Hence, a lunar eclipse can only occur the night of a...

s. For considerable time he was particularly concerned with comets, and published a catalog of comet orbits.

Although technically in retirement, Mucke continued to embark on new projects. Taking up a concept of his teacher Thomas, he designed and established a public celestial observation post with various multimedia enhancements (the Sternengarten) close to the Wotruba Church

Wotruba Church

The Kirche Zur Heiligsten Dreifaltigkeit in Vienna, better known as the Wotruba Church, is located on the Sankt Georgenberg in Mauer in Liesing, the 23rd District of Vienna...

 at the Georgenberg, a hilltop in Liesing

Liesing

Liesing is the 23rd district of Vienna . It is on the southwest edge of Vienna, Austria.It was formed after Austria's Anschluss with Germany, when Vienna expanded from 21 districts to 26...

on the Southwestern outskirts of Vienna. He still manages the Astronomical Bureau, and among other regular publishing activities he continues as an editor and co-author of the Sternenbote, a scientific periodical for German-speaking amateur astronomers which Mucke had founded in 1957.

External links

• Website of the Astronomical Bureau (German)