A Comet of the Enlightenment Anders Johan Lexell's Life and Discoveries /

• Main Author: Stén, Johan C.-E (Author)
• Corporate Author: SpringerLink (Online service)
• Format: Electronic eBook
• Language: English
• Published: Cham : Springer International Publishing : Imprint: Birkhäuser, 2014.
• Series: Vita Mathematica ; 17
• Subjects: Mathematics.; Geometry.; History.; Astronomy.; Astrophysics.; Cosmology.; History of Mathematical Sciences.; Astronomy, Astrophysics and Cosmology.

The Finnish mathematician and astronomer Anders Johan Lexell (1740–1784) was a long-time close collaborator as well as the academic successor of Leonhard Euler at the Imperial Academy of Sciences in Saint Petersburg. Lexell was initially invited by Euler from his native town of Abo (Turku) in Finlan...

Table of Contents:

• 1 Setting the scene
• 2 The humble beginnings
• 3 New prospects in Saint Petersburg
• 4 Formation of an Academician
• 5 Professor of astronomy
• 6 Professional relations and correspondence
• 7 Academic events in Saint Petersburg
• 8 Lexell’s work in mathematics
• 9 Academic Journey 1780–1781
• 10 Return to an Academy in crisis
• 12 A sketch of Lexell’s personality
• 13 Conclusion
• 14 Appendices.