Joseph von Fraunhofer
Joseph von Fraunhofer | |
|---|---|
| Born | Joseph Fraunhofer 6 March 1787 |
| Died | 7 June 1826 (aged 39) |
| Known for | Fraunhofer diffraction Fraunhofer lines Fraunhofer distance |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Optics |
Joseph Ritter von Fraunhofer (/ˈfraʊnˌhoʊfər/; German: [ˈfraʊnˌhoːfɐ]; 6 March 1787 – 7 June 1826) was a German physicist and optical lens manufacturer. He made optical glass, an achromatic telescope, and objective lenses. He developed diffraction grating and also invented the spectroscope. In 1814, he discovered and studied the dark absorption lines in the spectrum of the sun now known as Fraunhofer lines.
The German research organization Fraunhofer Society, which is Europe's biggest Society for the advancement of applied research, is named after him. Fraunhofer lines are used in astronomy to determine the composition of celestial bodies. His epitaph reads Aproximavit sidera, Latin for 'He brought closer the stars.'