Hermann B. W. Mucke (March 1, 1935 – March 12, 2019) was an Austrian astronomer and one of the most significant promoters of

amateur astronomy Amateur astronomy is a hobby where participants enjoy observing or imaging celestial objects in the sky using the Naked eye, unaided eye, binoculars, or telescopes. Even though scientific research may not be their primary goal, some amateur astr ...

in German-speaking Europe. He was born and died in

Vienna Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...

Career

Mucke studied physics at the

Vienna University of Technology TU Wien () is a public research university in Vienna, Austria. The university's teaching and research are focused on engineering, computer science, and natural sciences. It currently has about 28,100 students (29% women), eight faculties, and ...

but under the influence of his teacher and mentor

Oswald Thomas Oswald Thomas (born July 27, 1882 in Kronstadt Braşov.html" ;"title="ow Braşov">ow Braşov in Transylvania, Romania]; died Feb. 13, 1963 in Vienna, Austria), was an astronomer and a protagonist of the popularization of astronomy in Germany and A ...

he soon took up the challenge of

adult education Adult education, distinct from child education, is a practice in which adults engage in systematic and sustained educating activities in order to gain new knowledge, skills, attitudes, or values. Merriam, Sharan B. & Brockett, Ralph G. ''The Pr ...

in astronomy. In 1964 he was made head of the new Vienna city

planetarium A planetarium (: planetariums or planetaria) is a theatre built primarily for presenting educational and entertaining shows about astronomy and the night sky, or for training in celestial navigation. A dominant feature of most planetariums is ...

and made it an internationally reputed institution during his directorship. From 1971 onward Mucke was also the scientific director of the

Urania Urania ( ; ; modern Greek shortened name ''Ránia''; meaning "heavenly" or "of heaven") was, in Greek mythology, the muse of astronomy and astrology. Urania is the goddess of astronomy and stars, her attributes being the globe and compass. T ...

educational observatory. On occasion of his retirement from both positions in 2000, the asteroid 7074 Muckea was named in honor of Hermann Mucke. In the preceding months the

solar eclipse of August 11, 1999 A total solar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s Lunar node, ascending node of orbit on Wednesday, August 11, 1999, with a Magnitude of eclipse, magnitude of 1.0286. A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun, thereby ...

had further heightened his popularity, the media referring to him as ''Mister Sonne'' ("Mr. Sun"). Mucke's most significant scientific achievements were in

celestial mechanics Celestial mechanics is the branch of astronomy that deals with the motions of objects in outer space. Historically, celestial mechanics applies principles of physics (classical mechanics) to astronomical objects, such as stars and planets, to ...

and in

historical astronomy Historical astronomy is the science of analysing historic astronomical data. The American Astronomical Society (AAS), established 1899, states that its Historical Astronomy Division "...shall exist for the purpose of advancing interest in topics re ...

. He collaborated with

Jean Meeus Jean Meeus (born 12 December 1928) is a Belgian meteorologist and amateur astronomer specializing in celestial mechanics, spherical astronomy, and mathematical astronomy. Meeus studied mathematics at the University of Leuven in Belgium, w ...

to compile a catalog of

solar eclipse A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun, thereby obscuring the view of the Sun from a small part of Earth, totally or partially. Such an alignment occurs approximately every six months, during the eclipse season i ...

s, and later another catalog of

lunar eclipse A lunar eclipse is an astronomical event that occurs when the Moon moves into the Earth's shadow, causing the Moon to be darkened. Such an alignment occurs during an eclipse season, approximately every six months, during the full moon phase, ...

s. For a considerable time he was particularly concerned with

comets A comet is an icy, small Solar System body that warms and begins to release gases when passing close to the Sun, a process called outgassing. This produces an extended, gravitationally unbound atmosphere or coma surrounding the nucleus, an ...

, and published a catalog of comet orbital elements.H. Mucke: ''Helle Kometen von -86 bis +1950'', Astronomisches Büro Wien, 2nd ed., 1976 Although technically in retirement, Mucke continued to embark on new projects. Taking up a concept of his teacher Thomas, he designed and established a public celestial observation post with various multimedia enhancements (the ''Sternengarten'') close to the Wotruba Church at the Georgenberg, a hilltop in

Liesing Liesing () is the 23rd district of Vienna. It is on the southwest edge of Vienna, Austria. It was formed after Austria's ''Anschluss'' with Germany, when Vienna expanded from 21 districts to 26. Fifteen Lower Austrian districts, especially the o ...

on the Southwestern outskirts of Vienna. He continued to manage the Astronomical Bureau and to edit the '' Sternenbote'', a monthly scientific periodical for German-speaking amateur astronomers which Mucke had founded in 1957.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mucke, Hermann 20th-century Austrian astronomers 20th-century Austrian educators Scientists from Vienna 1935 births 2019 deaths TU Wien alumni 21st-century Austrian astronomers