Paul Oswald Ahnert facts for kids

Paul Oswald Ahnert (born November 22, 1897 – died February 27, 1989) was a German astronomer. He became well known in Germany for creating the "Kalender für Sternfreunde" (which means "Calendar for Stargazers"). This was a yearly calendar of exciting things happening in space, and he published it from 1948 until 1988. A small space rock, called a minor planet, was even named after him: 3181 Ahnert.

Early Life and His Love for Stars

Paul Ahnert was born in a city called Chemnitz in Germany. When he was younger, he served as a soldier during the First World War. After the war, he became a teacher in elementary schools from 1919 to 1933.

Even while teaching, Paul Ahnert was very interested in astronomy. He loved looking at the stars and planets! He was an amateur astronomer, which means he studied space as a hobby. In 1923, he even had his first article published in a science magazine called Astronomische Nachrichten. In this article, he wrote about special stars called variable stars that he had watched from his own small observatory at home.

Challenges and New Beginnings

Life became difficult for Paul Ahnert in 1933 when a new government came to power in Germany. Because of his beliefs, he was removed from his teaching job. He was even held in a special camp for a few months.

After he was released, he had to do different small jobs to make a living. But in 1938, he got a great opportunity! Another astronomer, Cuno Hoffmeister, invited him to work at the Sonneberg Observatory. During the Second World War, Paul Ahnert worked there. He helped by doing many calculations (like a human computer!) and assisting with observations of the sky.

A Life Among the Stars

After the war, Paul Ahnert met another astronomer named Eva Rohlfs at the Sonneberg Observatory. They got married in 1952. Sadly, Eva passed away just two years later, when she was 41 years old.

In the 1950s, Paul Ahnert became a very respected astronomer around the world. He made important discoveries by observing variable stars and studying the sun's activity. In 1957, he received a special honorary doctor's degree in astrophysics from the University of Jena.

Paul Ahnert became very famous in Germany for his "Kalender für Sternfreunde." The first one was printed in 1949. He continued to create and edit this calendar for over 40 years! He finally retired from this big task when he was 90 years old, passing the work on to younger astronomers. Paul Ahnert passed away in 1989 at the age of 91 in Sonneberg.

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