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b. October 11, 1758 and d. March 2, 1840

German astronomer and physician; he gained distinction by his observations on the comet of 1779 and discovered an improved method of calculating the orbits of comets. In March, 1802, he discovered a new asteroid which he named Pallas and another in March, 1807, which he named Vesta. In 1815 he discovered the comet called by his name.

Here Nature shall condense her powers,
Her music, and her meteors,
And lifting man to the blue deep
Where stars their perfect courses keep,
Like wise preceptor, lure his eye
To sound the science of the sky,
And carry learning to its height
Of untried power and sane delight.

—Monadnock: Emerson

1769—A brilliant comet appeared. It passed with great swiftness and within 2,000,000 miles of the earth: its tail formed an arch 36,000,000 miles long.

1818, November 26—”Encke’s” Comet was discovered by Jean Louis Pons, director of the observatory at Marseilles, but named by astronomers after Prof. Johann Franz Encke of Berlin for his success in detecting its orbit, motions and perturbations.

1826, February 28—Biela’s Comet was discovered by M. Biela, an Austrian officer, at Josephstadt, Bohemia.

1861, June 29—The great comet was first visible.

Only $ 35.00