Biography:Viktor Knorre
Viktor Knorre | |
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| Born | Viktor Karlovich Knorre 4 October 1840 Nikolayev, Russian Empire |
| Died | 25 August 1919 (aged 78) |
| Occupation | Astronomer |
| Organization | University of Berlin, Berlin Observatory |
| Known for | Discovered Koronis and three other minor planets |
| Parent(s) | Karl Friedrich Knorre |
Viktor Karlovich Knorre Russian: Виктор Карлович Кнорре (4 October 1840 – 25 August 1919) was a Russian astronomer of Germany ethnic origin. He worked in Nikolaev, Pulkovo and Berlin and is best known for having discovered 158 Koronis and three other minor planets. Knorre's father, Karl Friedrich Knorre, and grandfather, Ernst Friedrich Knorre, were also prominent astronomers. Recently, the main-belt asteroid 14339 Knorre was named in honor of the three generations of Knorre astronomers.[1]
Biography and family background
Knorre was born into a three-generation astronomer family.[2] His grandfather, Ernst Friedrich Knorre (1759–1810),[3] had moved from Germany to Dorpat (now Tartu, Estonia) where he worked (1803–10) as Observator for the Dorpat observatory (opened in 1802) and professor of Mathematics at the University of Dorpat. Victor Knorre's father, Karl Friedrich Knorre (1801–1883),[3] set up and was director of the Nikolayev Astronomical Observatory starting in 1827.
Viktor was born the fifth of fifteen children in Nikolayev (now Mykolayiv, Ukraine). He moved to Berlin in 1862 to study astronomy[4] with Wilhelm Julius Foerster. He worked at Pulkovo Observatory in 1867 as an astronomical calculator[5] and then at Berlin Observatory, where his father moved circa 1871.
Astronomer
From 1873, he was observer at the Berlin Observatory. Knorre discovered four asteroids.[6] He did not teach students at the University of Berlin; instead he gave introductions into the use of the telescopes of the Observatory. In 1892 he was appointed Professor of Astronomy. Knorre took an interest in the improvement of astronomical equipment, and published papers on an improved equatorial telescope mount, referred to as the "Knorre & Heele" mount.[4]
| 158 Koronis | 4 January 1876 | MPC |
| 215 Oenone | 7 April 1880 | MPC |
| 238 Hypatia | 1 July 1884 | MPC |
| 271 Penthesilea | 13 October 1887 | MPC |
Chess master
Knorre was also known as a strong chess player, playing among others against Adolf Anderssen, Gustav Neumann and Johannes Zukertort. He took part in several chess tournaments during the 1860s.[7][8] According to the ChessMetrics site, He was ranked among top 50 players in the world at his peak.
In the Two Knights Defense the Knorre variation (ECO code C59) is named after him. It follows the main line of the Two Knights defense for the first ten moves, and is characterized by the moves 10. Ne5 Bd6 11. d4 Qc7 12. Bd2.[9] The Knorre variation of the Open defense in the Ruy Lopez, characterized by the move 6. Nc3, is also named after Knorre.[10]
References
- ↑ "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 14339 Knorre (1983 GU)". Jet Propulsion Laboratory. http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=2014339.
- ↑ Hockey, Thomas (2009). The Biographical Encyclopedia of Astronomers. Springer Publishing. ISBN 978-0-387-31022-0. http://www.springerreference.com/docs/html/chapterdbid/58787.html. Retrieved August 22, 2012.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "21knorre". Plicht.de. 1919-08-25. http://www.plicht.de/chris/21knorre.htm.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Pinigin, Gennady. "Abstract of The Astromonical Dynasty of Knorre, a paper given at JENAM 2008 astronomical conference in Vienna". University of Vienna. http://www.univie.ac.at/jenam2008/colloquium/webpro.doc.
- ↑ Batten, Alan Henry (1988). Resolute and Undertaking Characters. Astrophysics and Space Science Library. 139. Springer. p. 17. ISBN 978-90-277-2652-0. https://books.google.com/books?id=kXSjxkg0rRgC&q=viktor+knorre&pg=PT280.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Minor Planet Discoverers (by number)". Minor Planet Center. 23 May 2016. http://www.minorplanetcenter.net/iau/lists/MPDiscsNum.html.
- ↑ Name Index to Jeremy Gaige's Chess Tournament Crosstables, An Electronic Edition , Anders Thulin, Malmö, 2004-09-01
- ↑ "Chessmetrics Player Profile: Victor Knorre". http://chessmetrics.com/cm/CM2/PlayerProfile.asp?Params=199510SSSSS3S066190000000111000000000016510100.
- ↑ "chess-ref.org: Two knights defence, Knorre variation (ECO: C59)". http://chess-ref.org/opening.php?id=1308.
- ↑ "chess-ref.org: Ruy Lopez, Open, Knorre variation (ECO: C80)". http://chess-ref.org/opening.php?id=1412.
External links
- M. Ebell: Obituary on Viktor Knorre, in: Astronomische Nachrichten, 1919, volume 209, p. 367 (in German)
- Biographical information on Viktor Knorre
- Viktor Knorre player profile and games at Chessgames.com
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