Bernhard Schmidt (March 30, 1879–December 1, 1935) was an Estonian-born optician who lived in Germany. In 1931 he invented the Schmidt telescope which corrected for spherical aberration by placing a corrector lens in front of the mirror. March 30 is the 89th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (90th in leap years). ... 1879 (MDCCCLXXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... December 1 is the 335th (in leap years the 336th) day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1935 (MCMXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar). ... An optician is an individual who makes and adjusts optical aids. ... 1931 (MCMXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link is to a full 1931 calendar). ... Optical ray paths inside Schmidt camera 2m Schmidt Camera (Alfred-Jensch-Telescope Tautenburg, Thuringia, Germany A Schmidt camera is an astronomical camera designed to provide wide fields of view with limited aberrations. ... Focal plane Longitudinal sections In optics, spherical aberration is an image imperfection that occurs due to the increased refraction of light rays that occurs when rays strike a lens or mirror near its edge, in comparison with those that strike nearer the center. ... A Schmidt corrector plate, invented by Bernhard Schmidt in 1930[1], is a lens used to correct spherical aberration in a reflecting telescope that uses a spherical primary mirror. ...

Childhood

Schmidt grew up on the island of Naissaar, off the coast of Tallinn. The inhabitants of this island speak Estonian, but the Schmidt family spoke German at home. When he was 15 years old, he lost his right hand and forearm in an experiment with gunpowder. In spite of this injury, he built his own camera later in the year. West coast of Naissaar Kunilamägi Mines Naissaar (or Nargö in Swedish) is a small island outside Tallinn (but belonging to rural Viimsi Commune), the capital of Estonia. ... County Harju County Mayor Jüri Ratas Area 159. ... Smokeless powder Gunpowder, whether black powder or smokeless powder, is a substance that burns very rapidly, releasing gases that act as a propellant in firearms. ...

Adulthood

2-m Schmidt Camera (Alfred-Jensch-Telescope Tautenburg, Thuringia, Germany

Schmidt moved to Tallinn in 1895 to work as a telegraph operator. Between 1896 and 1901, he made his living as a photographer. In 1901, he went to Mittweida in Germany to further his education. In 1904, he opened an optical business there. He worked on telescope lenses, mirrors, and other objects, mainly to be used in observatories. In 1927, he sold his business to move to Hamburg, to work at a nearby observatory. In 1928, he began to use his instruments, taking pictures of Jupiter, Saturn, and the Moon. In 1930, he developed the Schmidt telescope. The original Schmidt telescope is housed in the museum of the Hamburg Observatory. The Schmidt telescope of the Karl Schwarzschild Observatory is the largest Schmidt camera of the world. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (650x930, 68 KB) Please see the file description page for further information. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (650x930, 68 KB) Please see the file description page for further information. ... The Free State of Thuringia (German: Freistaat Thüringen) is located in central Germany and is considered one of the smaller of Germanys sixteen Bundesländer (federal states), with an area of 16,200 km² and 2. ... County Harju County Mayor Jüri Ratas Area 159. ... 1895 (MDCCCXCV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Telegraphy (from the Greek words tele = far away and grapho = write) is the long distance transmission of written messages without physical transport of letters, originally over wire. ... Year 1896 (MDCCCXCVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display calendar). ... 1901 (MCMI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Wednesday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... 1901 (MCMI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Wednesday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Mittweida is a town in Saxony, capital of the district Mittweida. ... 1904 (MCMIV) was a leap year starting on a Friday (see link for calendar). ... A telescope (from the Greek tele = far and skopein = to look or see; teleskopos = far-seeing) is an instrument designed for the observation of remote objects. ... MolÄ—tai Astronomical Observatory An observatory is a location used for observing terrestrial and/or celestial events. ... 1927 (MCMXXVII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar). ... Hamburg from above Hamburgs motto: May the posterity endeavour with dignity to conserve the freedom, which the forefathers acquired. ... Year 1928 (MCMXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar). ... Adjectives: Jovian Atmosphere Surface pressure: 20–200 kPa[4] (cloud layer) Composition: ~86% H2 ~13% Helium 0. ... Note: This article contains special characters. ... Apparent magnitude: up to -12. ... Year 1930 (MCMXXX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link is to a full 1930 calendar). ... Optical ray paths inside Schmidt camera 2m Schmidt Camera (Alfred-Jensch-Telescope Tautenburg, Thuringia, Germany A Schmidt camera is an astronomical camera designed to provide wide fields of view with limited aberrations. ... Hamburg Observatory or Hamburg-Bergedorf Observatory is an astronomical observatory owned and operated by the University of Hamburg,Germany. ... Karl-Schwarzschild-Observatorium (Karl Schwarzschild Observatory) is an astronomical observatory owned and operated by the institute of Thüringer Landessternwarte Karl Schwarzschild Tautenburg. ...

Bernhard Schmidt died of pneumonia shortly after returning from a vacation to The Netherlands on December 1, 1935. Pneumonia is an illness of the lungs and respiratory system in which the alveoli (microscopic air-filled sacs of the lung responsible for absorbing oxygen from the atmosphere) become inflamed and flooded with fluid. ... Motto: Je Maintiendrai (Dutch: Ik zal handhaven, English: I Shall Uphold) Anthem: Wilhelmus van Nassouwe Capital Amsterdam1 Largest city Amsterdam Official language(s) Dutch2 Government Parliamentary democracy Constitutional monarchy  - Queen Beatrix  - Prime minister Jan Peter Balkenende Independence Eighty Years War   - Declared July 26, 1581   - Recognised January 30, 1648 (by Spain... December 1 is the 335th (in leap years the 336th) day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1935 (MCMXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar). ...

See also

• List of astronomical instrument makers

The following is a list of Astronomical Instrument Makers, along with lifespan and country of work, if available. ...

External link

• Biography