Kaspar Uttenhofer

German astronomer
The basics

Quick Facts

IntroGerman astronomer
A.K.A.Caspar Uttenhofer
A.K.A.Caspar Uttenhofer
PlacesGermany
isMathematician
Work fieldMathematics
Gender
Male
Birth1588, Nuremberg
DeathNuremberg
The details

Biography

Kaspar Uttenhofer (1588 – 31 May 1621) was a German astronomer.

Life

Kaspar Uttenhofer was born in Nuremberg in 1588, the seventh son of the second marriage of Georg Uttenhofer, a tailor. His father died on January 9, 1563, leaving the family in good economic conditions. One of his brothers was Anthoni Uttenhofer (1542-1609), an artist specialized in etching.

His personal life is little known, according to the mathematician Daniel Schwenter, Uttenhofer devoted most of his life to improving his knowledge being self-taught. He wrote various books, the most renowned is probably the Pes mechanicus in which the author explained how to easily build a sundial.

He wrote the Judicium de nupero Cometa astrologico-historicum after spotting comet (C/1618 W1) in the Boötes constellation. He died in his home city of Nuremberg in 1621.

Works

  • Pes Mechanicus. Oder Werckschuh/ Das ist: Ein gar leuchte Weise/ allerley gemeine Sonnen-Uhren auß einem außgetheilten Werckschuch zu machen Nürnberg: Halbmayer, 1615
  • Judicium de nupero Cometa Astrologo Historicum. Kurzer Bericht und Erklärung / Was von dem neuen Cometen / oder geschwentzten Stern / so sich dieses zu endlauffenden 1618. Jars [...]zuhalten. Nürnberg: Simon Halbmayer, 1619
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