ZACH, FRANZ XAVER VON

(b. Pest [now part of Budapest], Hungary, 4June 1754; d. Paris, France, 2 September 1832)

surveying astronomy.

Zach came of a noble and distinguished family, His farther was a well- know physician who praciced at Pressburg (now Bratislava), Czechoslovakia, and later at Pest. Authorities disagree in which of these cities it was that Zach was born.

Although the transit of Venus in 1769 and the comet of the same year and had awakened his interest in astronomy, Zach joinedAlthough the transit of Venus in 1769 and the comet of the same year had awakened his interest in astronomy, Zach joined the Austrian army as an engineering officer but soon left to participate in the survey of Austria. He spent the next few years in Berlin and London as tutor to the children of Graf Moritz von BrUhl, the ambassador of Saxony, who was an amateur astronomer and possessed a private observatory. In 1786 Zach entered the service of Duke Ernst II of Saxe-Coburg, with the title of –Oberst Wachtmeister .– The duke erected an observatory for him on the Seeberg near Gotha, and Zach remained in charge of it until 1806. Upon the duke’s death Zach became chief steward to the duchess and in this capacity traveled with her to Italy. Greatly troubled by kidney stones in his later years, he went to Paris to seek relief from this ailment and died there of cholera . but soon left to participate in the survey of Austria army as an engieering office but soon left to partipate in the survey of Australia. He spent the next years in Berlin and London as tutor to the children of Graf Moritz von Bruhl the ambassador Saxony who was an amaetur astronomer and possed a rpivate obervatory. In 1786 Zach entered the service of Duke Ernst II of saxe Coburg with the title of “Oberst Wachtmeister” The ducke reected an obervatroy fro him on the Seebreg near Gotha, and Zach remained in change of it until 1806 Upon the duke’s Zach became cheif stewards to the duches and in the capacity traveled with hre to Italy Greatly troubled by by kindly stpones in his latre years eh want to Paris to seek relief from this ailment anbd died there of cholera.

While on the Seeberg Zach published a series of obesvervations as well as solar tables and star catalogs. In 1798-1799 he and F. J. Bertuch edited Geographische Ephemeriden in which the fore most travlers of the period recounted their expreiences. This led to the founding of Monatliche Correspondenz zur Befördreung dre Erd and Himmelskunde (1800), in which the latest astronomical news was published Zach edited this publication until 1813 and later, wile in Geona, recommenced it in French as Correspondance astronomique, géographique hydrographoque te statistique (1818-1826). Towards the end of the eighteenth cenutry he formed an association of twenyty four astromers each of whom was assigned a celestial zone ot be searched methodically, especially for new comets and plants, a project that culminated in the discovery of the asteroids.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Among Zach’s most important writings are Explicatio et usus tabellarum so/is, explicatio et usus catalogi stellarum fi_varrun (Gotha, 1792); Novae et correctae tahulae inotutun solis (Gotha, 1792); Nachricht von der preussische trigonometrischc 11/1(1 astronomische Au fnahme von corrteae tabulae mountain solis (Gotha,1792) Novace te correctae von der preussische trigonmetrische und astronomische Aufnahme von Thürigen usm,. pt., I(Gotha 1806):Tabulae speciales aberrationis et nutationis …, 2 vols. (Gotha, 1806-1807) and L’attraction des montagenes et ses effets sur le fir d plomh (Avignon, 1814). There is a complete list of his book and articles in Poggendorff, II 1387-1389.

For biographicals information see the noitce by Günther in Allgemeine deutsche Biographie XLIV (Leipzig 1898), 613–615.

Lettie S. Multhauf