REGIOMONTANUS (1436-1476), German astronomer, was born at Konigsberg in Franconia on the 6th of June 1436.

Sir William Herschel was the first astronomer who measured position angles; the instrument he employed is described in Phil.

EDUARD SCHONFELD (1828-1891), German astronomer, was born at Hildburghausen, in the duchy of Meiningen, on the 22nd of December 1828.

By the end of 1771 his scientific reputation was such that he was suggested for the post of "astronomer" to Captain Cook's second expedition to the South Seas, but his unorthodox opinions were objectionable to certain members of the board of longitude and the appointment was not ratified.

Astronomer comes from the Latin word astra, which means stars; and astronomers are men who study the stars, and tell us about them.