Johann Elert Bode (January 19, 1747 – November 23, 1826) was a German astronomer known for his contribution to the Titius-Bode law and 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).
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. In particular for the latter the Uranographia marks the end, and climax, of an epoch. Later atlases showed less and less elaborated figures, until they were not printed anymore at all on such tables.
He also published an astronomical yearbook, another, small celestial 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 was born in Hamburg and died in Berlin aged 79, November 23, 1826.
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Last updated: 09-01-2005 02:09:13
