Wilhelm Beer

Wilhelm Wolff Beer was a banker and astronomer who lived from 4 January 1797 to 27 March 1850. He was born and worked in Berlin, which was part of Prussia at the time. Wilhelm had a strong interest in studying the stars and planets, and he made important contributions to astronomy.

He was also the brother of Giacomo Meyerbeer, who was a well-known composer. Wilhelm used his skills as a banker to support his astronomical research, showing how different areas of work can sometimes help each other. His work helped advance the understanding of space and the night sky during the 19th century.

Astronomy

Wilhelm Beer was famous for his love of astronomy. He built his own private observatory in Tiergarten, Berlin, where he used a special telescope called a 9.5 cm refractor. With his friend Johann Heinrich Mädler, Beer made the very first detailed map of the Moon, called Mappa Selenographica, between 1834 and 1836. For many years, this was the best map anyone had of the Moon.

Beer and Mädler also studied the planet Mars. In 1830, they made the first globe of Mars, and later, in 1840, they made a map of Mars. They figured out how long it takes Mars to spin once, and their calculation was almost exactly right—only 0.1 seconds off from what we know today!

Other work

Wilhelm Beer helped set up a railway system in Prussia and supported the Jewish community in Berlin. Later in his life, he became a writer and politician. In 1849, he was chosen to be a member of the Prussian parliament.

Named after Beer

The crater Beer on Mars is named to honor Wilhelm Beer, and it is located near another crater called Mädler. There is also a crater named Beer on the Moon.