Palm (or Palon) Heinrich Ludwig (Pruß) von Boguslawski (7 September 1789 – 5 June 1851) was a German

astronomy Astronomy () is a natural science that studies celestial objects and phenomena. It uses mathematics, physics, and chemistry in order to explain their origin and evolution. Objects of interest include planets, moons, stars, nebulae, g ...

professor and observatory director in Breslau (Wrocław).

Early life

A native of

Magdeburg Magdeburg (; nds, label=Low Saxon, Meideborg ) is the capital and second-largest city of the German state Saxony-Anhalt. The city is situated at the Elbe river. Otto I, the first Holy Roman Emperor and founder of the Archdiocese of Magdebu ...

, Boguslawski met

Johann Elert Bode Johann Elert Bode (; 19 January 1747 – 23 November 1826) was a German astronomer known for his reformulation and popularisation of the Titius–Bode law. Bode determined the orbit of Uranus and suggested the planet's name. Life and career B ...

(1747–1826), who was an observatory director in

Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and List of cities in Germany by population, largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's List of cities in the European Union by population within ci ...

and published the celestial atlas ''Uranographia'', at the

Prussian Military Academy The Prussian Staff College, also Prussian War College (german: Preußische Kriegsakademie) was the highest military facility of the Kingdom of Prussia to educate, train, and develop general staff officers. Location It originated with the ''A ...

in Berlin between 1811 and 1812, when Boguslawski did his military service.

Military service

Boguslawski was an artillery officer in the Prussian Army during the

French invasion of Russia (1812) The French invasion of Russia, also known as the Russian campaign, the Second Polish War, the Army of Twenty nations, and the Patriotic War of 1812 was launched by Napoleon Bonaparte to force the Russian Empire back into the continental block ...

led by

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...

. He retired as ''

Hauptmann is a German word usually translated as captain when it is used as an officer's rank in the German, Austrian, and Swiss armies. While in contemporary German means 'main', it also has and originally had the meaning of 'head', i.e. ' literally ...

''.

Astronomy

After the war, he took up residence on his family's lands outside Breslau. In 1831 he became curator at the observatory in Breslau, and was appointed in 1836 to an honorary professorship at the

University of Breslau A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, th ...

. In the night from 20 April to 21 April 1835, Boguslawski detected a comet, estimated its course, and reported it t
''Herr Geheimer Ober-Regierungs-Rath''
For this, the comet (also known as 1835 I) was named after him. He also did valuable observations and calculations of Biela's, Encke's and

Halley's Comet Halley's Comet or Comet Halley, officially designated 1P/Halley, is a short-period comet visible from Earth every 75–79 years. Halley is the only known short-period comet that is regularly visible to the naked eye from Earth, and thus the on ...

s, published contributions in astronomy magazines and participated in the publication of the magazine ''Uranus'' from 1842 to his death in 1851. At the university, the mechanic

Ernst Carl Gottfried Wilhelm (1794–1843) and Ernst Karl Gustav Theodor Pinzger (1819–1882) supported him. They also were active for the "Schlesische Gesellschaft für vaterländische Kultur".

Honours

Boguslawski has the comet he discovered named after him, as well as a Boguslawsky (crater), lunar crater. Further, he received the first gold comet medal for his work in identifying Comet Boguslawksi. He was awarded the

Lalande Prize The Lalande Prize (French: ''Prix Lalande'' also known as Lalande Medal) was an award for scientific advances in astronomy, given from 1802 until 1970 by the French Academy of Sciences. The prize was endowed by astronomer Jérôme Lalande in 180 ...

in 1835.

External links

Schreiben des Herrn Hauptmanns v. Boguslawski, Conservators der Breslauer Sternwarte, an den Herausgeber ''Der Comet muß etwa einen Tag vorher den O. passirt haben ... Der Comet wird hiernach, wie es scheint, gegen den 16ten Nov. durch das Perihel gehen''

* ttps://web.archive.org/web/20070927021520/http://www.dpg-tagung.de/program/regensburg/gp5.pdf Handwerkergelehrte und Instrumentenmacher
Who's Who in Comet History: Boguslawski, Palm Heinrich Ludwig von (1789-1851)

Original report of comet in German, Biography in Swedish
19th-century German astronomers German untitled nobility Prussian Army personnel of the Napoleonic Wars Academic staff of the University of Breslau Scientists from Magdeburg 1789 births 1851 deaths Recipients of the Lalande Prize {{Germany-academic-bio-stub