Franz Brünnow, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Date of Death

Franz Brünnow

German astronomer

Date of Birth: 18-Nov-1821

Place of Birth: Berlin

Date of Death: 20-Aug-1891

Profession: astronomer, university teacher

Nationality: Germany

Zodiac Sign: Scorpio

Franz Friedrich Ernst Brünnow (November 18, 1821 – August 20, 1891) was a German astronomer.He was the first foreigner to become director of an American observatory, serving as director of Detroit Observatory from 1854 to 1863.
He played a major role in establishing the study of astronomy in the United States at a time when the only other serious faculty was run by Benjamin Peirce at Harvard University.
He introduced the teaching of rigorous German analytical methods and trained a number of students who went on to further American astronomy, including Asaph Hall and James Craig Watson (the latter succeeded him as director of Detroit Observatory).
In addition, Charles Augustus Young learned German astronomical methods from Brünnow although he did not attend the University of Michigan. He succeeded William R Hamilton as Andrews Professor of Astronomy at Trinity College Dublin and Royal Astronomer of Ireland at Dunsink Observatory.