DOCSLIB.ORG

The Observatory in Christiania (Above: Portrait from His Reise-Beretninger

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Observatory in Christiania (Above: Portrait from His Reise-Beretninger Figure 30.1: Above: Christopher Hansteen (1784–1873); Below: The Observatory in Christiania (Above: Portrait from his Reise-beretninger. Christiania: Chr. Tønsbergs forlag 1859. Below: Draft by Heinrich Chris- tian Grosch sent to Schumacher in 1828. From Elisabeth Seip (ed.): Chr. H. Grosch. Arkitekten som ga form til det nye Norge. Oslo: Pax forlag as (2001) 2007, p. 135.) 260 30. Christopher Hansteen and the Observatory in Christiania Vidar Enebakk (Oslo, Norway) and Bjørn Ragnvald Pettersen (Ås, Norway) 30.1 Introduction tion of a model of the earth consisting of two magnetic axes and four magnetic poles. Based on this theory, The early nineteenth century was a turbulent period in Hansteen carried out an expedition to Siberia between Norway due to Napoleonic wars. As a result Denmark 1828 and 1830 in search of the second magnetic north had to turn over Norway to Sweden at the peace treaty pole.2 Despite a negative result, Hansteen’s expedition in Kiel on 14 January 1814, and the Constitution of was of great importance to the new nation. Upon his Norway was introduced on 17 May 1814. In the preced- return in 1830 Hansteen’s efforts were rewarded by the ing years, however, an important feature of the growing government, who approved the construction of a new nationalism was the insistence on a separate university astronomical observatory. It was completed in 1833. in Norway. Thus, the Royal Frederik’s University in Hansteen and the observatory served many social, Christiania (today: Oslo) was officially created through cultural and political purposes within the new national a royal decree by Frederik VI, the king of Denmark state. Along with his duties at the university, Hansteen and Norway, on 2 September 1811. In the first decades also gave lectures at the military academy in mathe- the most important Norwegian scientist was Christopher matics, mechanics, geodesy, and astronomy. He further Hansteen (1784–1873), professor of applied mathemat- attracted general attention as the editor of the official ics and Director of the observatory in Christiania. Not Almanac of Norway from 1815 to 1862. In 1817 he took only did Hansteen put Norway “on the map” through his up a part time position as Director of Norges geografiske many international networks within geomagnetism, as- Opmaaling (Geographical Survey of Norway) which he tronomy and geodesy, he also located Norway in relation held until 1872. In 1823 he began publishing Magazin to astronomical time and geographical space. In this for Naturvidenskaberne (Journal of Natural Sciences) paper we will primarily focus on the construction and with two other professors, thus creating a forum for instrumentation of the observatory in Christiania during science news and extended papers on specialized topics. a period of gradual political separation from Copen- The following year he was co-founder of a scientific so- hagen. At the same time we will emphasize the close ciety called Den physiographiske Forening, which served collaboration between Christopher Hansteen in Chris- as a precursor to the Academy of Science in Christiania tiania and Heinrich Christian Schumacher (1780–1850) established in 1857. Finally, Hansteen was appointed in Altona at the south border of the Danish-Norwegian to the national commission for weight and measures kingdom, thus highlighting the close relationship be- in 1818. He designed the new Norwegian system of tween Hansteen and the Hamburg area at the beginning standards in 1824, and he served on this body until of the nineteenth century. 1872. Most of his functions, however, were related to his work at the university observatory in Christiania where Hansteen served as Director from 1815 to 1861.3 30.2 Hansteen in Christiania Christopher Hansteen initially studied jurisprudence at 30.3 Schumacher in Altona the University of Copenhagen, but his interests were soon drawn towards geomagnetism and astronomy. In Christopher Hansteen’s most important contact and 1811 he won a gold medal for a treatise on geomag- collaborator on the continent was Heinrich Christian netism which was later expanded and published as Un- Schumacher. He was Director of the new observatory tersuchungen über den Magnetismus der Erde (1819).1 in Altona outside Hamburg from 1823 and is perhaps Meanwhile, on 1 June 1814, he was formally appointed best known as the founder of the journal Astronomis- Lecturer of applied mathematics at the newly estab- che Nachrichten which he edited from 1821 to 1850. lished University in Christiania, and on 4 March 1816 It was the leading international journal in the field of he was promoted to professor. Hansteen is perhaps best astronomy in this period and it made the observatory known for his work on geomagnetism and his elabora- in Altona “the centre of international relations between 261 astronomers.”4 For instance, Hansteen published regu- was close to king Frederik, died early and the mother, larly in Astronomische Nachrichten and he had a total Sophia Hedevig Rebecca Schumacher, moved to Altona. of ten contributions to the first full volume which was Here the young Heinrich Christian attended school from published in 1823. 1794 to 1799 under Rector Jakob Struve, father of the astronomer Friedrich Georg Wilhelm Struve who was born in Altona and later, in 1839, became Director of the new observatory in Pulkovo near St. Petersburg. From April 1799 Schumacher studied jurisprudence in Kiel and two years later in Göttingen. Here he met Carl Friederich Gauß who in 1807 had become Director of the new observatory in Göttingen, and Schumacher studied with him during the winter of 1808–1809.5 In 1810 Schumacher was appointed extraordinary professor of astronomy in Copenhagen. Still, as he did not get along well with Thomas Bugge, the ordinary professor of astronomy and director of the Round Tower observa- tory, he resided in Hamburg in this period and began a three-year observing programme of circumpolar stars with Repsold’s meridian circle. By 1811–1812 he ac- quired a flat at Herrengraben 12 near the observatory at Millerntor so he could collaborate closely with Repsold. 1813 Schumacher temporarily accepted the position as director of Mannheim observatory, but two years later, when Bugge died on 15 January 1815, Schumacher was appointed his successor to the ordinary professorship and called to Copenhagen.6 In the meantime Schumacher actually tried to obtain a position at the proposed university in Norway. Dur- ing the winter of 1811–1812 he wrote to the university planning commission in Copenhagen offering his services and at the same time suggesting the construction of a new and well equipped Norwegian observatory (not Figure 30.2: Heinrich Christian Schumacher (1780–1850) in Christiania, actually, but at Königsberg, which was (Portrait from Einar Andersen: Heinrich Chri- a possible location for the university at this point).7 stian Schumacher. Et mindeskrift. København: About the same time the planning committee received Geodætisk Instituts forlag 1975, p. 102.) an offer for a meridian circle from Johann Georg Repsold in Hamburg. On this occasion, the committee requested In the early nineteenth century the city of Altona, the advice of Thomas Bugge, who was negative to the being a part of Schleswig-Holstein, was subject to the proposal: “Bugge had no confidence in this new idea”; Danish-Norwegian kingdom under king Frederik VI. Hansteen later explained, “the zenith distance of the ce- During the preceding one and a half century the observa- lestial pole would have to be determined with a mural tory on top of the Round Tower in Copenhagen was the quadrant and a 12 foot zenith sector of the kind available centre of the Danish-Norwegian network of astronomical at the Round Tower in Copenhagen.”8 Thus, follow- and geodetic sciences. Both Hansteen in Christiania and ing Bugge’s advice, the committee turned down Rep- Schumacher in Altona developed new and more sophis- sold’s proposal. Instead, the instrument was acquired by ticated observatories in the periphery of the kingdom Gauß and after further modifications during 1817 it was during the 1820s and 1830s. In the following we will mounted by Repsold personally in the eastern meridian focus on the circulation of knowledge, skills and instru- room of the Göttingen observatory.9 Later, Hansteen ments between Hansteen in the north and Schumacher saw the instrument here on his visit to Gauß in 1839 in the south of the double-monarchy. We will emphasize when he was introduced to his geomagnetic observatory Schumacher’s role as Hansteen’s mentor and his me- and its instruments. Yet, Repsold’s proposal may have diator with German scientists and instrument makers been intended to serve an additional purpose, as sup- like Johann Georg Repsold – the Director of the new port for Schumacher’s and as foundation for an even state funded observatory at Millerntor in Hamburg from closer collaboration and integration between Christia- 1825 – in addition to Ertel, Kessels, Merz, Reichenbach, nia and Altona/Hamburg. It was an obvious strategic Utzschneider and Fraunhofer. move to combine Schumacher’s application to the Nor- Schumacher was born in 1780 in the small town of wegian university with an instrument proposal from his Bramstedt in Holstein between Kiel and Hamburg. His close friend and collaborator Repsold, since this new father Andreas Schumacher, a senior civil servant who university had to establish everything from scratch. In 262 his application Schumacher offered to build a first-rank Friedrich G. W. Struve visited regularly to learn more observatory with instruments from Hamburg and Mu- about this scientific enterprise.15 The official triangu- nich, provided sufficient funds were granted. He also re- lation of Hannover was not commissioned to Gauß by quested Gauß to send him a letter about the Mannheim George IV of England until 1820. By this time he had position in such wording that he could use it to influence already learnt much from the collaboration with Schu- decision makers in Copenhagen towards an appointment macher and Repsold in the area of Hamburg: “In Jahren in Christiania, stating to Gauß that he would not seri- 1821 bis 1823 hat Gauß die Messungen zur Bestimmung ously consider going to Mannheim.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Geomagnetic Research in the 19Th Century: a Case Study of the German Contribution
    Journal of Atmospheric and Solar-Terrestrial Physics 63 (2001) 1649–1660 www.elsevier.com/locate/jastp Geomagnetic research in the 19th century: a case study of the German contribution Wilfried Schr,oder ∗, Karl-Heinrich Wiederkehr Geophysical Institute, Hechelstrasse 8, D 28777 Bremen, Germany Received 20 October 2000; received in revised form 2 March 2001; accepted 1 May 2001 Abstract Even before the discovery of electromagnetism by Oersted, and before the work of AmpÂere, who attributed all magnetism to the 7ux of electrical currents, A.v. Humboldt and Hansteen had turned to geomagnetism. Through the “G,ottinger Mag- netischer Verein”, a worldwide cooperation under the leadership of Gauss came into existence. Even today, Gauss’s theory of geomagnetism is one of the pillars of geomagnetic research. Thereafter, J.v. Lamont, in Munich, took over the leadership in Germany. In England, the Magnetic Crusade was started by the initiative of John Herschel and E. Sabine. At the beginning of the 1840s, James Clarke Ross advanced to the vicinity of the southern magnetic pole on the Antarctic Continent, which was then quite unknown. Ten years later, Sabine was able to demonstrate solar–terrestrial relations from the data of the colonial observatories. In the 1980s, Arthur Schuster, following Balfour Stewart’s ideas, succeeded in interpreting the daily variations of the electrical process in the high atmosphere. Geomagnetic research work in Germany was given a fresh impetus by the programme of the First Polar Year 1882–1883. Georg Neumayer, director of the “Deutsche Seewarte” in Hamburg, was one of the initiators of the Polar Year.
    [Show full text]
  • The Struve Geodetic Arc
    The Struve Geodetic Arc Autor(en): Smith, J.R. Objekttyp: Article Zeitschrift: Vermessung, Photogrammetrie, Kulturtechnik : VPK = Mensuration, photogrammétrie, génie rural Band (Jahr): 98 (2000) Heft 5 PDF erstellt am: 09.10.2021 Persistenter Link: http://doi.org/10.5169/seals-235647 Nutzungsbedingungen Die ETH-Bibliothek ist Anbieterin der digitalisierten Zeitschriften. Sie besitzt keine Urheberrechte an den Inhalten der Zeitschriften. Die Rechte liegen in der Regel bei den Herausgebern. Die auf der Plattform e-periodica veröffentlichten Dokumente stehen für nicht-kommerzielle Zwecke in Lehre und Forschung sowie für die private Nutzung frei zur Verfügung. Einzelne Dateien oder Ausdrucke aus diesem Angebot können zusammen mit diesen Nutzungsbedingungen und den korrekten Herkunftsbezeichnungen weitergegeben werden. Das Veröffentlichen von Bildern in Print- und Online-Publikationen ist nur mit vorheriger Genehmigung der Rechteinhaber erlaubt. Die systematische Speicherung von Teilen des elektronischen Angebots auf anderen Servern bedarf ebenfalls des schriftlichen Einverständnisses der Rechteinhaber. Haftungsausschluss Alle Angaben erfolgen ohne Gewähr für Vollständigkeit oder Richtigkeit. Es wird keine Haftung übernommen für Schäden durch die Verwendung von Informationen aus diesem Online-Angebot oder durch das Fehlen von Informationen. Dies gilt auch für Inhalte Dritter, die über dieses Angebot zugänglich sind. Ein Dienst der ETH-Bibliothek ETH Zürich, Rämistrasse 101, 8092 Zürich, Schweiz, www.library.ethz.ch http://www.e-periodica.ch Histoire de la culture et de la technique The Struve Geodetic Arc Since 1994 the International Institution for the History of Surveying and Measurement - a Permanent Institution within FIG -, has been working on a project to get recognition "**B of the Struve Geodetic Arc as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
    [Show full text]
  • Merz Telescopes at the University Observatory in Christiania, Norway
    Journal of Astronomical History and Heritage, 22(1), 65Å77 (2019). MERZ TELESCOPES AT THE UNIVERSITY OBSERVATORY IN CHRISTIANIA, NORWAY Bjørn Ragnvald Pettersen Faculty of Science and Technology, Norwegian University of Environmental and Life Sciences, P.O. Box 5003, N-1432 Ås, Norway. e-mail: [email protected] Abstract: Four telescopes with optics by Merz in Munich were acquired for the University Observatory in Christiania between 1840 and 1882. Two had equatorial mountings by Merz, one by Repsold, and one by Olsen. We describe the acquisition process from correspondence located in archives and libraries. The observing programs are outlined from publications in Norwegian and German, highlighting some results obtained with these instruments. Keywords: University Observatory; Christiania (Oslo); Norway; telescopes; Merz; Repsold; spectroscopes; visual observations 1 INTRODUCTION The University Observatory in Christiania (now Oslo, Norway) was inaugurated in 1833 and be- gan its operation with a meridian circle from Rei- chenbach and Ertel and a Fraunhofer refractor from Utzschneider on an alt-azimuth mounting by Repsold. It was the only astronomical observa- tory in the country and was founded by Christo- pher Hansteen (1784Å1873; Figure 1), Professor of Applied Mathematics, after years of fundraise- ing and other political exercises. Over the follow- ing decades several other instruments were add- ed, some in their own domes in the Observa- tory Gardens. Two were refractors on equatorial mountings from Merz. Two others had optics by Merz and equatorial mountings from Repsold and Olsen, respectively. Recent books by Chin- nici (2017) and Kost (2015) address the impor- Figure 1: Part of a drawing of Christopher Han- steen by Siegwald Johannes Dahl, made in tance and role of the Merz company and the 1848 (courtesy: Oslo Museum).
    [Show full text]
  • Oslo) Meteorological Observations 1816–1838: the first Long-Term Continuous Temperature Record from the Norwegian Capital Homogenized and Analysed
    Clim. Past, 12, 2087–2106, 2016 www.clim-past.net/12/2087/2016/ doi:10.5194/cp-12-2087-2016 © Author(s) 2016. CC Attribution 3.0 License. Jens Esmark’s Christiania (Oslo) meteorological observations 1816–1838: the first long-term continuous temperature record from the Norwegian capital homogenized and analysed Geir Hestmark1 and Øyvind Nordli2 1Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis, CEES, Department of Biosciences, Box 1066 Blindern, University of Oslo, 0316 Oslo, Norway 2Norwegian Meteorological Institute (MET Norway), Research and Development Department, Division for Model and Climate Analysis, P.O. Box 43 Blindern, 0313 Oslo, Norway Correspondence to: Geir Hestmark ([email protected]) Received: 1 June 2016 – Published in Clim. Past Discuss.: 20 June 2016 Revised: 17 October 2016 – Accepted: 19 October 2016 – Published: 18 November 2016 Abstract. In 2010 we rediscovered the complete set of me- and 2012 by the Astronomical Observatory at the University teorological observation protocols made by Jens Esmark of Oslo and the Norwegian Meteorological Institute (MET (1762–1839) during his years of residence in the Norwegian Norway) (Nordli et al., 2015). Previous to 1837, long-term capital of Oslo (then Christiania). From 1 January 1816 to 25 observations of the Oslo weather were known to have been January 1839, Esmark at his house in Øvre Voldgate in the made by Jens Esmark (1762–1839), professor of mining sci- morning, early afternoon and late evening recorded air tem- ences at the University of Oslo (then Christiania). A first re- perature with state-of-the-art thermometers. He also noted air analysis of Esmark’s observations was made by meteorolo- pressure, cloud cover, precipitation and wind directions, and gist B.
    [Show full text]
  • Maximilian Hell's Geomagnetic Observations in Norway 1769
    Tromsø Geophysical Observatory Reports No. 2 Maximilian Hell’s geomagnetic observations in Norway 1769 Truls Lynne Hansen & Per Pippin Aspaas University of Tromsø, 2005 Cover illustration: Maximilian Hell’s map of his observing site Vardø with surroundings. From Ephemerides Astronomicae ad Meridianum Vindobonensem Anni 1791 (Hell 1790). Tromsø Geophysical Observatory Reports is a series intended as a medium for publishing documents that are not suited for publication in refereed journals, but that Tromsø Geophysical Observatory nevertheless wishes to make accessible to a wider readership than the local staff. The topics of the reports will be within, or at least related to, the disciplines of the Observatory: geomagnetism and upper atmosphere physics, the history of these included. The language will primarily be English. Tromsø Geophysical Observatory Reports No. 2 Maximilian Hell’s geomagnetic observations in Norway 1769 Truls Lynne Hansen Tromsø Geophysical Observatory, University of Tromsø & Per Pippin Aspaas Department of History, University of Tromsø Europas Mathematiker haben seit Kepplers und Newtons Zeiten sämmtlich die Augen gen Himmel gekehrt, um die Planeten in ihren feinsten Bewegungen und gegenseitigen Störungen zu verfolgen; es wäre zu wünschen, dass sie jetzt eine Zeitlang den Blick hinab in den Mittelpunkt der Erde senken möchten, denn auch allda sind Merkwürdigkeiten zu schauen. Es spricht die Erde mittelst der stummen Sprache der Magnetnadel die Bewegungen in ihrem Innern aus, und verstünden wir des Polarlichtes Flammenschrift recht zu deuten, so würde sie für uns nicht weniger lehrreich seyn. Christopher Hansteen 1819 University of Tromsø, 2005 1 Prologue In 1819 Christopher Hansteen1 issued the book Untersuchungen über den Magnetismus der Erde, today a classic in geomagnetism.
    [Show full text]
  • Norway and Past International Polar Years—A Historical Account Stian Bones
    Bones HISTORICAL/BIOGRAPHICAL ESSAY Norway and past International Polar Years—a historical account Stian Bones Norwegian Polar Institute, Polar Environmental Centre, NO-9296 Tromsø, Norway. Keywords Surveying Norway’s role in past International Polar Years (IPYs), this essay by historian International Polar Year; International Stian Bones contributes to a broader understanding of Norway as a “polar nation”. He Geophysical Year; Norwegian history; describes the strengths of Norway’s scientific traditions in the polar regions, and exam- history of science. ines the varying motivations driving Norwegian involvement in the first three IPYs: Correspondence 1882–83, 1932–33 and 1957–58 (also known as the International Geophysical Year). Norwegian Polar Institute, Polar —The editor Environmental Centre, NO-9296 Tromsø, Norway. E-mail: [email protected] doi:10.1111/j.1751-8369.2007.00029.x The first International Polar Year (IPY) lasted from 1 Au- tunately, because of the war in south-eastern Europe, the gust 1882 to 31 August 1883. Twelve nations participated Congress was not able to assemble in Rome until the in this groundbreaking international cooperative project, spring of 1879. establishing 14 research stations: 12 in the Arctic and two Serving the International Meteorological Congress was in the Southern Hemisphere (the Danish research vessel a permanent committee, or secretariat, which prepared the Dijmphna can be counted as an additional station). the cases to be considered by the Congress and followed The roots of this huge scientific endeavour are to be up the resolutions that were passed. Among those seated found in 1875, when the Austro-Hungarian Polar Expe- in the permanent committee was the leading Norwegian dition (1872–74) returned home after having, among geophysicist Henrik Mohn, director of the Norwegian other achievements, officially discovered Franz Josef Meteorological Institute (Det Norske Meteorologiske Land (Payer 1876).
    [Show full text]
  • Biographical Index of Former RSE Fellows 1783-2002
    FORMER RSE FELLOWS 1783- 2002 SIR CHARLES ADAM OF BARNS 06/10/1780- JOHN JACOB. ABEL 19/05/1857- 26/05/1938 16/09/1853 Place of Birth: Cleveland, Ohio, USA. Date of Election: 05/04/1824. Date of Election: 03/07/1933. Profession: Royal Navy. Profession: Pharmacologist, Endocrinologist. Notes: Date of election: 1820 also reported in RSE Fellow Type: HF lists JOHN ABERCROMBIE 12/10/1780- 14/11/1844 Fellow Type: OF Place of Birth: Aberdeen. ROBERT ADAM 03/07/1728- 03/03/1792 Date of Election: 07/02/1831. Place of Birth: Kirkcaldy, Fife.. Profession: Physician, Author. Date of Election: 28/01/1788. Fellow Type: OF Profession: Architect. ALEXANDER ABERCROMBY, LORD ABERCROMBY Fellow Type: OF 15/10/1745- 17/11/1795 WILLIAM ADAM OF BLAIR ADAM 02/08/1751- Place of Birth: Clackmannanshire. 17/02/1839 Date of Election: 17/11/1783. Place of Birth: Kinross-shire. Profession: Advocate. Date of Election: 22/01/1816. Fellow Type: OF Profession: Advocate, Barrister, Politician. JAMES ABERCROMBY, BARON DUNFERMLINE Fellow Type: OF 07/11/1776- 17/04/1858 JOHN GEORGE ADAMI 12/01/1862- 29/08/1926 Date of Election: 07/02/1831. Place of Birth: Ashton-on-Mersey, Lancashire. Profession: Physician,Statesman. Date of Election: 17/01/1898. Fellow Type: OF Profession: Pathologist. JOHN ABERCROMBY, BARON ABERCROMBY Fellow Type: OF 15/01/1841- 07/10/1924 ARCHIBALD CAMPBELL ADAMS Date of Election: 07/02/1898. Date of Election: 19/12/1910. Profession: Philologist, Antiquary, Folklorist. Profession: Consulting Engineer. Fellow Type: OF Notes: Died 1918-19 RALPH ABERCROMBY, BARON DUNFERMLINE Fellow Type: OF 06/04/1803- 02/07/1868 JOHN COUCH ADAMS 05/06/1819- 21/01/1892 Date of Election: 19/01/1863.
    [Show full text]
  • The Introduction of Geodesy and Astronomy As an Academic Discipline in Norway in 1814
    The Introduction of Geodesy and Astronomy as an Academic Discipline in Norway in 1814 Bjørn Ragnvald PETTERSEN, Norway Key words : history, geodetic reference frame, astronomical positioning SUMMARY Based on handwritten sources in several archives we discuss events that influenced how geodesy and astronomy came to be an academic discipline at Norway’s first university in 1814. In addition to curriculum requirements, political and military evaluations set the trend. This occurred at a turbulent time for Norway, when a declaration of independence was in effect for 10 months in 1814. A geodetic reference frame established 1779-1813 by the Geographical Survey of Norway came under dispute and a need for astronomical verification emerged. This led to small observatories being established in Oslo and Bergen. In the course of a decade they improved the longitudes from an error of 20’ to 1’. Eventually, this led to a permanent observatory at the University of Oslo, which came to serve as the national reference meridian for surveying and mapping during a century. Geodesy remained a major component of the astronomical activities at the University of Oslo during the 19 th Century, including national participation in the Struve geodetic arc and the Mittel-Europeische Gradmessung. It took 40 years before classical astronomical observing programs grew to significance, i.e. positional astronomy, orbits of asteroids and comets, stellar position catalogues. FIG History Workshop, 5497 1/10 Bjørn Ragnvald Pettersen The Introduction of Geodesy and Astronomy as an Academic Discipline in Norway in 1814 FIG Working Week 2012 Knowing to Manage the Territory, Protect the Environment, Evaluate the Cultural Heritage Rome, Italy, 6-10 May 2012 The Introduction of Geodesy and Astronomy as an Academic Discipline in Norway in 1814 Bjørn Ragnvald PETTERSEN, Norway 1.
    [Show full text]
  • Book of Abstracts (PDF)
    The human and its environment. The Fifth Norwegian conference of the history of science, January 24 – 25, 2013, Bergen Session Internationalism and state loyalty in 20th century Scandinavian science and humanities This session explores the pursuit of internationalism and national interests across time and in different fields of enquiry in Scandinavian sciences and humanities in the years following the two world wars of the twentieth century. Furthermore, it highlights how international organisations became sites where the scholars and scientists strived to achieve a unification of these seemingly paradoxical objectives. In particular, this session explicate the possibilities and the limitations of scientific internationalism in the aftermath of the two world wars, periods which traditionally have been associated with a dismantling of internationalist ideologies. Based on the idea that science produce universally valid knowledge, science has often been depicted as a neutral international sphere where scientists from all nations contribute to the scientific mapping of the world. Since the late nineteenth century, a growth in the number of international scientific organisations was often infused with aspirations of scientific internationalism. In parallel, science also became more important to the nation states, as technological and industrial development became intertwined with the growth of scientific knowledge. Tensions between internationalism and nationalism have also characterized the arts and humanities. The historical disciplines
    [Show full text]
  • Christopher Hansteens Rolle I Geodesiens Utvikling I Norge II
    05-KP1-07_Pettersen.fm Page 38 Friday, February 23, 2007 10:38 AM Christopher Hansteens rolle i geodesiens utvikling i Norge II. Vitenskapelige gradmålinger Bjørn Ragnvald Pettersen Vitenskapelig bedømt (refereed) artikkel Bjørn R. Pettersen: Christopher Hansteen and the development of Norwegian geodesy. II. International meridian arc projects. KART OG PLAN, Vol. 67, pp. 38–46. P.O.B. 5003, NO-1432 Ås, ISSN 0047-3278 Christopher Hansteen, professor of applied mathematics 1816–65 at the University of Oslo and di- rector of the Geographical Survey of Norway 1817–1872, renewed the instrument collection and trained young officers in survey fieldwork in order to establish a national geodetic reference network. After 3 decades of national focus an opportunity arose to contribute internationally. The Russian- Scandinavian Meridian Arc project in Finnmark 1845–1850 is the first government-sponsored inter- national science project in Norway. We review Hansteen’s role and leadership using new archival sources. The results and experiences from this project prepared Norway for participation in the Eu- ropean Meridian Arc project in 1862. The Norwegian contribution to this grand scheme would create the backbone for further development and improvement of the national geodetic network. We review and discuss the Norwegian participation in these two international projects which aimed to improve the size and shape of the Earth reference ellipsoid. Key words: astrogeodesy, surveying, geodetic arcs, instruments, history of science and technology. Bjørn Ragnvald Pettersen, Professor dr.philos., Department of Mathematical Sciences and Technology, UMB, P O Box 5003, NO-1432 Ås. E-mail: [email protected] Innledning tatt av geodesiens faglige utvikling.
    [Show full text]