Wilhelm Beer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Wilhelm Beer
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Wilhelm Beer
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| Born | 4 January 1797 |
| Died | 27 March 1850 (aged 53) Berlin, Prussia
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| Scientific career | |
| Fields | astronomy |
Wilhelm Wolff Beer (born January 4, 1797 – died March 27, 1850) was a smart and busy man from Berlin, Prussia. He was a successful banker and also a very talented astronomer. He was the brother of a famous composer, Giacomo Meyerbeer.
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Exploring the Moon and Mars
Wilhelm Beer loved astronomy as a hobby. He even built his own special place to look at the stars, called a private observatory. This observatory was in Tiergarten, Berlin. It had a powerful telescope called a refractor, which was about 9.5 centimeters wide.
He worked closely with another astronomer named Johann Heinrich Mädler. Together, they made amazing discoveries.
Mapping the Moon
From 1834 to 1836, Beer and Mädler created the very first accurate map of the Moon. They called it Mappa Selenographica. Imagine how hard that was without modern technology!
In 1837, they also wrote a detailed book about the Moon. It was called Der Mond nach seinen kosmischen und individuellen Verhältnissen. For many years, their map and book were the best guides to the Moon.
Discovering Mars
Their work wasn't just about the Moon. In 1830, Beer and Mädler made the first ever globe of the planet Mars. This was a huge step in understanding our solar system.
Then, in 1840, they created a map of Mars. They also figured out how long it takes for Mars to spin around once. This is called its rotation period. They calculated it to be 24 hours, 37 minutes, and 22.7 seconds. This was incredibly accurate! Their calculation was only 0.1 seconds different from what scientists know today.
Other Important Work
Wilhelm Beer was not just an astronomer. He also helped his country in other ways.
He played a part in setting up the first railway system in Prussia. This helped people and goods travel much faster. He also supported the Jewish community in Berlin.
In the last ten years of his life, he became a writer and a politician. In 1849, he was chosen to be a Member of Parliament (MP). This meant he helped make important decisions for Prussia.
Craters Named After Beer
Because of his important work, two places in space are named after Wilhelm Beer.
There is a crater on Mars called Beer. It is located near another crater named after his friend, Mädler. There is also a crater on the Moon called Beer.
