Monthly correspondence
The monthly correspondence for the transport of earth and sky news was the first purely scientific journal for these sciences. It was published by Franz Xaver von Zach at the Seeberg observatory from 1800.
The lively correspondence between Franz Xaver von Zachs and his colleagues in Europe enabled him to make their findings and results available to all interested parties.
At the first European astronomers' congress in Gotha in 1798 , those present confirmed the need for such a communication medium. Successes were seen in the exchange of techniques of observation and methods of evaluation and also in the rediscovery of the asteroid Ceres in 1802.
Zach was in charge of the editing of this new trade journal, which was published monthly in Gotha by the Beckerschen Buchhandlung Verlag , until he left Gotha in 1806. With a circulation of up to 300 copies, it reached all of his colleagues, a number of whom also had more or less regular contributors involved. In addition to Zach and Lindenau , the articles also come from Bessel , Gauß , Olbers and others. After Zachs left Gotha, the magazine, which was valued by astronomers, was continued by his successor Bernhard von Lindenau until 1813 under Zach's further influence.
An attempt by Lindenau to establish a successor organ under the title Zeitschrift für Astronomie from 1817 had to be abandoned after two years because it did not match the quality of the MC and always appeared late, because Lindenau was professionally overwhelmed and the co-editor JG Bohnenberger worked too late .
At the suggestion of Johann Franz Encke , the extensive scientific content of the monthly correspondence was made accessible through a register that Johann Gottfried Galle published in 1850 at Becker in Gotha .
From 1818, von Zach continued to publish his magazine under the title Correspondance Astronomique from Genoa without being able to build on the success of the monthly correspondence .