GOTHARD, Jenő
* 31. 5. 1857, Herény, Hungary
† 27. 5. 1909, Herény, Hungary
Astronomer
As the son of landowners G. attended premonstrate order's gymnasium in Szombathely and then studied at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at Vienna University of Technology.
He was interested in astronomy and geodesy. After returning home he set up an astronomical observatory with all the necessary instruments in Herény in 1881 and he focused his scientific activity on astronomical research. He is a pioneer in the field of astronomical photography. In 1886 he discovered the central star of the Ring Nebula. He determined the spectroscopic link between planetary nebulae and successfully explored the stars with variable light curves while watching the periodic changes of light. He was the first able to obtain spectrogram of the comet.
He also designed a number of instruments which are needed for observation and wrote a book on the use of photographs in technology and science. In 1890 he became a member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. He was a member of the German Astronomical Society and Royal Astronomical Society in England.
