Heinrich Christian Schumacher

Heinrich Christian Schumacher (September 3, 1780 - December 28, 1850), German astronomer, was born at Bramstedt in Holstein.

He was director of the Mannheim observatory from 1813 to 1815, and then became professor of astronomy in Copenhagen. From 1817 he directed the triangulation of Holstein, to which a few years later was added a complete geodetic survey of Denmark (finished after his death). For the sake of the survey an observatory was established at Altona, and Schumacher resided there permanently, chiefly occupied with the publication of Ephemerides (11 parts, 1822-1832) and of the journal Astronomische Nachrichten (founded by himself in 1821 and still being published), of which he edited thirty-one volumes.

This entry was originally from the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.