My first Magazine Sky & Telescope - 01.2019 | Page 73

started in childhood, when she helped her family with the
In 1716 Winkelmann-Kirch was invited to become the
“pendulum game”; later she was introduced to the produc-
astronomer at the court of the Tsar of Russia, Peter the Great,
tion of calendars. She began by helping Winkelmann-Kirch,
but she declined the offer so she could return to the Berlin
and then Christfried, making observations and doing
Observatory, where Christfried had been appointed observer.
calculations for planetary ephemerides, despite not receiving
Since the Academy was concerned about Christfried’s qualifi -
a regular salary. (Margarethe also worked at
cations (he was allegedly weak in astronomical
the observatory throughout her life, recording
theory), having Winkelmann-Kirch return to
observations of Comet 1743 C1, for example;
the observatory as an unoffi cial assistant was
however, less is known about her.) But in
a necessity. However, when guests visited the
1740 the tide began to turn. Christine started
observatory, Winkelmann-Kirch was to make
receiving occasional (and small) donations
herself scarce (in fact, she was reprimanded
from the Academy. But why? Simply because
by the Academy for engaging with visitors and
Christfried had died of a heart attack on
being too visible on public occasions). So, as
March 9th of that year. With Winkelmann-
precious as she was to Christfried’s work, she
Kirch 20 years gone, and the Academy
was required to fade into the background.
deprived of its main astronomer, the state
Winkelmann-Kirch was forced out of the
became more dependent on the professional
observatory (though she was expected to con-
help of Christine for producing calendars.
tinue to provide her son meals) in 1717, and
And the production of calendars was more
died in 1720 at the age of 50. It was then her
important than ever. Between 1740 and
daughters Christine and Margaretha, or the
p FURTHER DEVELOP-
1742, Frederick the Great, King of Prussia,
“Kirchin,” began to serve as shadow assistants
MENTS The Berlin Observatory
was renovated under Johann
conquered the populous province of Silesia, a
to their brother. For years, they helped with
Bode.
The
top
two
stories
of
the
region of Central Europe that today belongs
observations, doing the astronomical calcula-
tower were combined and given
almost entirely to Poland. This was good news
tions for planetary ephemerides, and compiling
over to observing. The observa-
for the Academy in Berlin: It could signifi -
the annual calendars issued by the Academy.
tory remained in use until the
cantly increase its income, which depended
During this period, the structure of the
new Berlin Observatory was
constructed in the 1830s.
on its monopoly on the calendars of Prussia.
work at the Observatory remained essentially
This should have been good news for Chris-
the same as it had been under Gottfried
tine as well, as she became responsible for preparation of
Kirch. In addition to the preparation of the calendar, celestial
the Silesian calendar. However, her work apparently wasn’t
objects were tracked for scientifi c and astrological purposes,
deemed important enough to grant her more than “pocket
with observations recorded in both communal and personal
money” from the prestigious institution.
diaries. Observing in shifts, the family ensured that the
Eventually, her hard work paid off, however. At the age
night sky was under continual study. The house logs include
of 77, she was given an honor equivalent to “Emeritus” by
notes on observations made during the transit of Mercury in
the Academy, which expressed its explicit gratitude for her
November 1723, for instance, as well as those made during
calendar work in a letter. Around this same time, she intro-
the total solar eclipse of May 1733. And, following a tech-
duced the astronomer Johann Bode both to calendar making
nique fi rst suggested by Galileo a century before and put in
and to the scientifi c community of Berlin. The fi rst edition
practice by Giovanni Domenico Cassini in France, the differ-
of the almanac Berliner Astronomische Jahrbuch, produced by
ences in longitude between Berlin, Paris, and St. Petersburg
Bode with Christine’s help, appeared in 1774 (with data for
were determined using the eclipses of Jupiter’s satellites and
1776). In 1776 the Academy fi nally assigned Christine a sal-
then inscribed in the family diary.
ary of 400 thalers (the German silver coin). The salary came
Christfried was admitted as a foreign member to the
without a binding obligation to produce calendars or observe;
French Academy of Sciences in 1723 and promoted from
rather, it was recompense — an obvious back payment — for
the position of observer to that of regular astronomer at the
her many years of hard work. In this way, Christine Kirch
Berlin Observatory in 1728. After his death he was elected
preceded by 11 years the record of her colleague Caroline Her-
to the Royal Society of London. The “Kirchin,” however, in
schel as the fi rst female professional astronomer.
spite of several decades’ unceasing work as assistants, like
their mother, continued to miss offi cial recognition until
Christine, near the end of her career, fi nally received some
¢ GABRIELLA BERNARDI holds degrees in Physics and Scien-
much-deserved credit.
tii c Communication. After working on the Rosetta mission at
Alenia Spazio in Turin, she decided to devote her energies to
science, and especially astronomy. She is currently a freelance
Coming Into Her Own
journalist and science writer, with two books to her credit, one
From a very young age and for most of her life, Christine
about women astronomers of the past and one on Giovanni
worked in the shadow of her father, mother, and then older
Domenico Cassini.
brother and other assistants. Her training and education
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