mathematics

Theodor von Oppolzer

Theodor von Oppolzer is a mathematics topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Theodor von Oppolzer rather than just read about it. In short: Theodor von Oppolzer (26 October 1841 – 26 December 1886) was an Austrian astronomer and mathematician of Bohemian origin. The son of the physician Johann Ritter von Oppolzer, Theodor was born in Prague.

Key takeaways

Theodor von Oppolzer belongs to mathematics; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Theodor von Oppolzer to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Theodor von Oppolzer from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Theodor von Oppolzer (26 October 1841 – 26 December 1886) was an Austrian astronomer and mathematician of Bohemian origin. The son of the physician Johann Ritter von Oppolzer, Theodor was born in Prague. He completed his graduate studies in medicine at the University of Vienna, gaining a Ph.D. in 1865. He also owned a private observatory. He began teaching theoretical astronomy and geodesics at the University of Vienna in 1866. By 1875 he was appointed a professor. In 1873 he became the director of the Austrian Geodetic Survey, and in 1886 he was elected vice president of the International Geodetic Association. He was considered a highly capable astronomer and mathematician. For example, he was reputed to have memorized the values of 14,000 logarithms. In 1868 he led an expedition to observe a solar eclipse. Afterward (1885) he authored the Canon der Finsternisse, an authoritative compilation of the 8,000 solar and 5,200 lunar eclipses from 1200 B.C. until 2161. This was widely recognized as one of the greatest computational feats of its day. Oppolzer authored over 300 papers, with most concerning the orbital elements of comets and asteroids. He also published a two-volume manual on the determination of the orbital elements of comets and planets. Both of his works served as standard astronomy references for many years. He was working on an improved theory of lunar motion at the time of his death. His son Egon von Oppolzer also became a distinguished astronomer. He started to build the Historic Observatory of the University of Innsbruck.

Awards and honors Elected to the Imperial Academy of Sciences of Vienna, 1882. Elected to the American National Academy of Sciences, 1883. The crater Oppolzer on the Moon is named after him. Asteroid 1492 Oppolzer was named for him. In addition asteroids were named for his wife (237 Coelestina), and his two daughters (153 Hilda and 228 Agathe). 153 Hilda then gave its name to the Hilda group.

References

External links Works by or about Theodor von Oppolzer at the Internet Archive

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Theodor von Oppolzer

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Theodor von Oppolzer claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In mathematics, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Theodor von Oppolzer before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Theodor von Oppolzer ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Theodor von Oppolzer

In research: Theodor von Oppolzer appears in mathematics research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Theodor von Oppolzer in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Theodor von Oppolzer is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics 1841 births, 1886 deaths, 19th-century Austrian astronomers, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Theodor von Oppolzer outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Theodor von Oppolzer in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Theodor von Oppolzer means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Theodor von Oppolzer out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Theodor von Oppolzer in simple terms?

Why does Theodor von Oppolzer matter?

Because it connects several mathematics ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Theodor von Oppolzer?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Theodor von Oppolzer.