Robert Luther

Karl Theodor Robert Luther ( born April 16, 1822 in Schweidnitz, † February 15, 1900 in Dusseldorf ) was a German astronomer who was best known for the discovery of numerous asteroids.

Life

He studied since 1841 in Breslau and Berlin, philosophy, mathematics and astronomy. At the same time he worked at the Berlin Observatory, where he received an appointment in 1848. In 1851 he became director of the observatory Dusseldorf.

Between 1852 and 1890 there succeeded him to the discovery of a total of 24 asteroids. He surpassed the French-German astronomer Hermann Goldschmidt, who had found 1852-1861 14 asteroids. According to Luther, it brought the American Christian Heinrich Friedrich Peters on 48 (1861-1889) and the Austrian Johann Palisa to 123 asteroids ( 1874-1923 ).

When drawing the academic star chart hora O Luther discovered the variable star T Piscium in the constellation Pisces.

At the University of Bonn, he was the 1855 Dr. phil. honoris causa appointed and received from the Paris Académie des sciences seven times the Lalandeschen price for astronomy. His city Dusseldorf was also financially apparent to the prestige of the discoveries.

At the Paris Commemorative Medal in 1868 and was minted to mark the centenary of asteroids, he is next to Hermann Goldschmidt and John Russell Hind, two other multiple explorers mapped. The medal was established in 1869 at the Paris Mint on behalf of Napoleon III. pronounced. After him the asteroid ( 1303) Luthera was named. In addition, the lunar crater Luther was named after him.

Quote

"The other day I wanted to go here at the observatory with a friend and suddenly remembered that this Stargazer in Dusseldorf, which was also in the pubs there and ever since then ausspürt small planet, the fool, I think Lutter was his name; otherwise I had forgotten him entirely. "