The Litchfield Observatory became a hub for the discovery of 48 asteroids under the direction of Christian Heinrich Friedrich Peters, a German-born academic who spent his later years in the United States. His career spanned continents and political shifts, moving from geodetic surveying in Sicily to the study of the heavens in New York.
Early Career and European Travels
Born in 1813 in Koldenbüttel, Peters completed his education at the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, where he earned a Doctor of Philosophy. His early research included geological and astronomical surveys of Mount Etna between 1838 and 1843. Following his involvement with radical political factions in Sicily during the 1848 revolutions, he fled to the Ottoman Empire, eventually emigrating to the United States in 1854 at the recommendation of U.S. consul George P. Marsh.
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In 1858, Peters assumed the role of director at the Litchfield Observatory at Hamilton College. He was appointed professor of astronomy in 1867, becoming the first faculty member at the institution to hold a Ph.D. His work attracted international recognition, leading to his membership in the National Academy of Sciences, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the American Philosophical Society. In 1879, his contributions were honored with the Lalande Prize.
Observational Astronomy
Peters focused his efforts on identifying asteroids and charting nebulae and galaxies. Between 1861 and 1889, he cataloged 48 asteroids and co-discovered the periodic comet 80P/Peters–Hartley. In 1874, he led a United States Naval Observatory expedition to Queenstown, New Zealand, to conduct observations during the Transit of Venus.
The Star-Catalog Litigation and Final Years
Late in his life, Peters became involved in a legal dispute known as the Great Star-Catalog Case against his assistant, Charles A. Borst. The litigation centered on the ownership of observational data collected at the Litchfield Observatory. Peters initially won the case, though the decision was reversed on appeal after his death. On July 18, 1890, Peters died in Clinton and was interred at the Hamilton College Cemetery.
Fast facts
- Born: 1813, Koldenbüttel
- Died: 1890, Clinton
- Education: Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
- Asteroids discovered: 48
- Notable award: Lalande Prize (1879)
- Citizenship: Denmark, Prussia, United States
Questions readers ask
How many asteroids did Peters discover?
He is credited with the discovery of 48 asteroids between 1861 and 1889.
What was the Great Star-Catalog Case?
It was a legal dispute between Peters and his assistant, Charles A. Borst, over the ownership of research data compiled for a star chart.
Achievements
- Held posts at Litchfield Observatory
- Educated at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
- Fields of research: astronomy
