Georg von Reichenbach (1771-1826) was a German astronomical instrument maker born at Durlach in Baden on 24 August 1771. From 1796 he was occupied with the construction of a dividing engine; in 1804, with Joseph Liebherr and Joseph Utzschneider, he founded an instrument-making business in Münich; and in 1809 he established, with Joseph Fraunhofer and Utzschneider, optical works at Benedictbeuern, which were moved to Münich in 1823. He withdrew from both enterprises in 1814, and founded with T. L. Ertel a new optical business, from which also he retired in 1821, on obtaining an engineering appointment under the Bavarian government. He died at Münich on 21 May 1826. Karlsburg Center with Turmberg Durlach is a borough of the German city of Karlsruhe. ... For other uses, see Baden (disambiguation). ... August 24 is the 236th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (237th in leap years), with 129 days remaining. ... 1771 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Munich: Frauenkirche and Town Hall steeple Munich (German: München (pronounced listen) is the state capital of the German state of Bavaria. ... The Free State of Bavaria  (German: Freistaat Bayern), with an area of 70,553 km² (27,241 square miles) and 12. ... May 21 is the 141st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (142nd in leap years). ... The oldest surviving photograph, Nicéphore Niépce, circa 1826 1826 (MDCCCXXVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ...

Reichenbach's principal merit was that he introduced into observatories the meridian or transit circle, combining the transit instrument and the mural circle into one instrument. This had already been done by O. Romer about 1704, but the idea had not been adopted by any one else, except in the transit circle constructed by Edward Troughton for Stephen Groombridge in 1806. The transit circle in the form given it by Reichenbach had one finely divided circle attached to one end of the horizontal axis and read by four verniers on an "alidade circle," the unaltered position of which was tested by a spirit level. The instrument came almost at once into universal use on the continent of Europe (the first one was made for Friedrich Bessel in 1819), but in England the mural circle and transit instrument were not superseded for many years. This article is about the astronomical concept. ... Edward Troughton (October 1753 – June 12, 1835) was a British instrument maker, who was notable for making telescopes and other astronomical instruments. ... Stephen Groombridge (January 7, 1755 – March 30, 1832) was a British astronomer. ... The word axis has several meanings: In mathematics, axis can mean: A straight line around which a geometric figure can be rotated. ... A vernier scale lets one read more precisely from a measurement scale. ... A spirit level is an instrument designed to indicate whether a surface is level. ... World map showing Europe Political map (neighboring countries in Asia and Africa also shown) Europe is one of the seven traditional continents of the Earth. ... Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel (July 22, 1784 – March 17, 1846) was a German mathematician, astronomer, and systematizer of the Bessel functions (which, despite their name, were discovered by Daniel Bernoulli). ... Motto: (French for God and my right) Anthem: Multiple unofficial anthems Capital London Largest city London Official language(s) English (de facto) Government Constitutional monarchy  - Queen Queen Elizabeth II  - Prime Minister Tony Blair MP Unification    - by Athelstan AD 927  Area    - Total 130,395 km² (1st in UK)   50,346 sq...

References

• This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.