Karl Ludwig Hencke

Karl Ludwig Hencke ( born April 8, 1793 in Driesen, † September 21, 1866 in Marienwerderstraße ) was a German amateur astronomer and discoverer of the asteroid Astraea and lifting.

1813 moved Hencke as a volunteer in the war against Napoleon Bonaparte and was significantly wounded at the Battle of Großgörschen. Later he worked as a mail clerk at various locations in Prussia, last in peace mountain in the Neumark. Since 1837 he was retired and could quite his favorite pastime, astronomy devote.

On December 8, 1845, he discovered the fifth asteroid in the solar system, Astraea. It is noteworthy that since the discovery of the fourth asteroid Vesta in 1807, nearly forty years had passed. 1847 discovered Hencke also the sixth asteroid, which he christened lifting. These two discoveries gave rise to numerous other observations, and subsequently many other minor planets were actually discovered.

Hencke edited one of Berlin's academic star maps.

Karl Ludwig Hencke died on September 21, 1866 on a trip with Marie Werder.

See also List of asteroids