Technikatörténeti szemle 19. (1992)

TANULMÁNYOK - Bartha, Lajos: In Memoriam Miklós Konkoly Thege (1842–1916)

rian Natural Sciences Association — a national observers network of four or five stations in 1875. The radiant of several meteor swarms and their revolution around the Sun were determined. Simultaneous with Alexander Herschel, Konkoly's spectroscopic observations of meteros are very important. On the basis of meteor spectra he started as early as 1874 that sodium atoms are present in the upper atmosphere. After 1877 regular observations were made at Ögyalla about the surface of Mars and particularly of Jupiter (until 1896). The drawings clearly show the changes of the cloud bands of Jupiter and after 1878 the shifts of the Great Red Spot. 3. The Ógyalla Observatory shown about the turn of this century (Photo taken by Miklós Konkoly Thege) One of the most important tasks was the observation of comet spectra. Even in 1874 he observed the spectrum of several comets and in 1882 definitely pointed out sodium emission in the comet nuclei. Until 1911 he studied 27 comet spectra and recorded their changes. On this basis he outlined the 'normal spectrum* for comets. Subsequently, he observed other seven comet spectra. Konkoly was among the forerunners of comet spectroscopy.