Rudolf König (astronomer)

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Rudolf König (born April 18, 1865 in Vienna , † January 30, 1927 in Hietzing ) was an Austrian amateur astronomer who made a name for himself through a lunar atlas and astronomical position determination.

König attended grammar school in Vienna and later the commercial school in Leipzig . After completing his school education, he worked in his father's fur wholesaler. In addition, he attended lectures at the University of Vienna and acquired astronomical knowledge.

Rudolf König's double refractor is in use today at the Štefánik Observatory near Prague.

In 1906 he built a private observatory at his home in Vienna XIII, Kupelwiesergasse 12 . The main instrument was a double refractor with 18 cm and 21 cm aperture from Carl Zeiss on a massive equatorial mount , which was designed for astrophotography .

King led u. a. extensive observations of the Earth's moon , comets and star clusters , determined the exact position of 8,000 astronomical objects and published a lunar atlas .

After his death, his widow sold the double refractor to the “Bohemian Astronomical Society” for the purpose of building a public observatory in Prague. The instrument is now operated by the Štefánik Observatory . König's extensive specialist library as well as other astronomical devices went to the Vienna University Observatory . The 6 m large dome of his private observatory still exists today, but is no longer used for observations.

In 1935 the lunar crater König was named after him in King's memory .

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Wikisource: Rudolf König  - Sources and full texts
personal data
SURNAME King, Rudolf
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Austrian astronomer
DATE OF BIRTH April 18, 1865
PLACE OF BIRTH Vienna
DATE OF DEATH January 30, 1927
Place of death Hietzing