Franz de Paula Triesnecker (2 April 1745 – 29 January 1817) was an Austrian Jesuit astronomer.

Biography

Triesnecker was born in Mallon, Kirchberg am Wagram, Austria. When he was 16 he joined the Society of Jesus. He studied philosophy in Vienna and mathematics at Tyrnau, then became a teacher. Following the suppression of the Jesuits in 1773, he moved to Graz to complete his studies in theology, and was ordained soon after his graduation. In 1782 he became assistant director of the Vienna Observatory and 1792 succeeded Maximilian Hell as director. He remained in this post for the rest of his life. In 1794 he was elected Foreign Member of the Göttingen Academy of Sciences and Humanities. During his career he published a number of treatises on astronomy and geography. He was deputy editor of the Ephemerides Astronomicae of Vienna from 1782 until he became editor in 1792. He continued as editor, collaborating with Joanne Bürg, until he retired in 1806. He made a series of measurements of celestial bodies, which were published from 1787 until 1806. These included the Tabulae Mercurii, Martis, Veneris, Solares. He also carried out a long series of determinations of longitude that were noted for their accuracy. The crater Triesnecker on the Moon is named after him.

Works