J. G. Westphal

Justus Georg Westphal ( born March 18, 1824 in Kolborn; † November 9, 1859 in Lüneburg ) was a German astronomer and mathematician.

Life

Westphal studied at the University of Göttingen under Carl Friedrich Gauss. Westphal supported at that time working at the observatory, but with the death of Gauss in 1855 he retired from astronomy and was succeeded by William Klinkerfues there.

Westphal is still known for the discovery of the periodic comets 20D/Westphal, whom he saw for the first time on July 24th, 1852 now.