Walter Wislicenus
Encyclopedia
Walter Friedrich Wislicenus (November 5, 1859 – October 3, 1905) was a German
astronomer
. He taught at the University of Strasbourg
starting in 1888, and was a professor
from 1897 until his death. He was known for his lectures given outside of academia that attracted many non-scientists, and for his publications for the interested public.
as the son of a preacher, and the nephew of Gustav Adolf Wislicenus
, founder of the "free religious movement" in Germany.
After only one year of studies in Leipzig
he decided to move to Strasbourg
in 1880, where a new observatory
was close to completion. In 1882 a joined the expedition to observe the Transit of Venus
at Bahía Blanca
as an assistant. In 1883 he started to work for the Strasbourg Observatory. He was the main observer for the catalogue of southern star
s, created from 1884 to 1888. He received his Ph.D
in 1886 publishing works on the rotational period of Mars
.
A crater
on Mars and the asteroid
4588 Wislicenus
are named in his honor.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
astronomer
Astronomer
An astronomer is a scientist who studies celestial bodies such as planets, stars and galaxies.Historically, astronomy was more concerned with the classification and description of phenomena in the sky, while astrophysics attempted to explain these phenomena and the differences between them using...
. He taught at the University of Strasbourg
University of Strasbourg
The University of Strasbourg in Strasbourg, Alsace, France, is the largest university in France, with about 43,000 students and over 4,000 researchers....
starting in 1888, and was a professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
from 1897 until his death. He was known for his lectures given outside of academia that attracted many non-scientists, and for his publications for the interested public.
Biography
He was born in HalberstadtHalberstadt
Halberstadt is a town in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt and the capital of the district of Harz. It is located on the German Half-Timbered House Road and the Magdeburg–Thale railway....
as the son of a preacher, and the nephew of Gustav Adolf Wislicenus
Gustav Adolf Wislicenus
Gustav Adolf Wislicenus was a German theologian, one of the leaders of the Free Congregations.-Biography:...
, founder of the "free religious movement" in Germany.
After only one year of studies in Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
he decided to move to Strasbourg
Strasbourg
Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin département. The city and the region of Alsace are historically German-speaking,...
in 1880, where a new observatory
Observatory
An observatory is a location used for observing terrestrial or celestial events. Astronomy, climatology/meteorology, geology, oceanography and volcanology are examples of disciplines for which observatories have been constructed...
was close to completion. In 1882 a joined the expedition to observe the Transit of Venus
Transit of Venus
A transit of Venus across the Sun takes place when the planet Venus passes directly between the Sun and Earth, becoming visible against the solar disk. During a transit, Venus can be seen from Earth as a small black disk moving across the face of the Sun...
at Bahía Blanca
Bahía Blanca
Bahía Blanca is a city located in the south-west of the province of Buenos Aires, Argentina, by the Atlantic Ocean, and seat of government of Bahía Blanca Partido. It has a population of 274,509 inhabitants according to the...
as an assistant. In 1883 he started to work for the Strasbourg Observatory. He was the main observer for the catalogue of southern star
Star
A star is a massive, luminous sphere of plasma held together by gravity. At the end of its lifetime, a star can also contain a proportion of degenerate matter. The nearest star to Earth is the Sun, which is the source of most of the energy on Earth...
s, created from 1884 to 1888. He received his Ph.D
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
in 1886 publishing works on the rotational period of Mars
Mars
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the Solar System. The planet is named after the Roman god of war, Mars. It is often described as the "Red Planet", as the iron oxide prevalent on its surface gives it a reddish appearance...
.
A crater
Impact crater
In the broadest sense, the term impact crater can be applied to any depression, natural or manmade, resulting from the high velocity impact of a projectile with a larger body...
on Mars and the asteroid
Asteroid
Asteroids are a class of small Solar System bodies in orbit around the Sun. They have also been called planetoids, especially the larger ones...
4588 Wislicenus
4588 Wislicenus
4588 Wislicenus is a main-belt asteroid discovered on March 13, 1931 by Max Wolf at Heidelberg.- External links :*...
are named in his honor.