Johann Elert Bode (January 19, 1747 –
November 23, 1826) was a German astronomer known for his reformulation and popularization of the
Titius-Bode law as well as his works to determine the orbit of Uranus, for which he also suggested the name. He is also credited with
the discovery of Bode's Galaxy (M81).
Biography
Bode was born in Hamburg. As a youth, he suffered from an eye disease which particularly
damaged his right eye; he continued to have trouble with his eyes throughout his life.
Bode was the director of the Berlin Observatory, where he published the Uranographia in
1801, a celestial atlas that aimed both at scientific accuracy in showing the positions of stars
and other astronomical objects, as well as the artistic interpretation of the
stellar constellation figures. The Uranographia marks the climax of an epoch of
artistic representation of the constellations. Later atlases showed fewer and fewer elaborated figures until they were no longer
printed on such tables.
He also published an astronomical yearbook, another, small star atlas, intended for
astronomical amateurs (Vorstellung der Gestirne), and an introductory book to the constellations and their tales, which
had more than ten reprints.
Bode died in Berlin on November 23, 1826, aged 79.
Works
- 1772 Anleitung zur Kentniss des Gestirnten Himmels (The most famous Bode's work. Bode first announced
"Bode's law" in this book.)
- 1774-1957 Berliner Astronomisches Jahrbuch für 1776-1959 (The astronomical
yearbook published by Berlin Observatory.)
- 1782 Vorstellung der Gestirne ... des Flamsteadschen Himmelsatlas (Bode's revised and enlarged edition of
Fortin's small star atlas of Flamsteed.)
-
- "Verzeichniss" (Containing above star atlas, and including 5,058 stars observed by Flamsteed, Hevelius, T. Mayer, de la Caille, Messier, le Monnier, Darquier and Bode
himself.)
- 1801 Uranographia sive Astrorum Descriptio (Large star atlas including 20 copper plates.)
-
- Allgemeine Beschreibung und Nachweisung der Gestirne (A star catalogue including 17,240 stars.)
See also
Notes
References and further reading
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