Rudolf Ferdinand Spitaler

 

Spitaler discovered 64 IC objects with the 27" refractor at Wien University Observatory in 1891-92. 55 objects are galaxies, the rest are stars or star groups. In 6 cases (IC 484, 485, 486, 769 and 1364) Dreyer puts Javelle as first discoverer, Spitaler as second. But this is incorrect (see table). The case of IC 1470 is curious, as Spitaler beats Barnard by just 1 day!

IC
No.
Con
Date
Type
Ref
Rem
 54 1 CET Feb. 13, 1890 2 stars 3  
192 4 ARI Feb. 14, 1890 galaxy 3  
221 1 TRI Dec. 24, 1891 galaxy 4  
226 2 TRI Dec. 31, 1891 galaxy 4  
227 3 TRI Dec. 24, 1891 galaxy 4  
374 4 TAU Oct. 28, 1891 galaxy 4  
397 5 AUR Jan. 1, 1891 star group 4  
399 35 ERI Feb. 25, 1892 galaxy 4  
403 6 AUR Feb. 7, 1891 2 stars 4  
406 7 AUR Feb. 9, 1891 star group 4  
436 8 AUR Mar. 6, 1891 3 stars 4  
473 9 CMI Apr. 3, 1891 3 stars 4  
483 10 GEM Feb. 8, 1891 2 stars 4  
484 11 GEM Mar. 6, 1891 galaxy 4
Javelle 1892
485 12a GEM Mar. 6, 1891 galaxy 4
Javelle 1892
486 12 GEM Mar. 6, 1891 galaxy 4
Javelle 1892
488 13 CNC Feb. 8, 1891 2 stars 4  
489 14 CNC Feb. 8, 1891 star 4  
498   CMI Nov. 11, 1888 galaxy 1  
558   LEO Feb. 23, 1889 galaxy 2  
670 16 LEO Mar. 7, 1891 galaxy 4  
674 36 UMA May 24, 1892 galaxy 4  
692 37 LEO Mar. 31, 1892 galaxy 4  
696 38 LEO Mar. 31, 1892 galaxy 4  
698 39 LEO Mar. 31, 1892 galaxy 4  
699 40 LEO Mar. 31, 1892 galaxy 4  
718 41 VIR Mar. 25, 1892 galaxy 4  
719 42 VIR Mar. 24, 1892 galaxy 4  
720 43 VIR Mar. 25, 1892 galaxy 4  
722 44 VIR Mar. 25, 1892 galaxy 4  
724 45 VIR Mar. 24, 1892 galaxy 4  
726 17 UMA Mar. 12, 1891 galaxy 4  
729 18 UMA Mar. 12, 1891 galaxy 4  
749 46 UMA Apr. 22, 1892 galaxy 4  
750 47 UMA Apr. 22, 1892 galaxy 4  
751 48 UMA May 18, 1892 galaxy 4  
752 49 UMA May 18, 1892 galaxy 4  
769 19 VIR Dec. 24, 1891 galaxy 4
Javelle 1892
771   VIR Apr. 1, 1891 galaxy 4  
813 20 COM Apr. 6, 1891 galaxy 4  
818 50 COM Mar. 18, 1892 galaxy 4  
821 53 COM Mar. 18, 1892 galaxy 4  
822 54 COM Mar. 18, 1892 galaxy 4  
826 55 COM Mar. 20, 1892 galaxy 4  
831 56 COM Feb. 25, 1892 galaxy 4  
834 58 COM Feb. 24, 1892 galaxy 4  
835 59 COM Feb. 24, 1892 galaxy 4  
837 60 COM Feb. 24, 1892 galaxy 4  
838 61 COM Feb. 24, 1892 galaxy 4  
861 21 CVN May 5, 1891 galaxy 4  
883 22 CVN May 1, 1891 galaxy 4  
1197 7 SER Jul. 14, 1890 galaxy 3  
1257 6 OPH Jul. 7, 1890 galaxy 3  
1317 23 AQL Sep. 30, 1891 galaxy 4  
1362 24 AQR Sep. 29, 1891 galaxy 4  
1364 25 EQU Sep. 30, 1891 galaxy 4
Javelle 1892
1366 27 AQR Sep. 26, 1891 galaxy 4  
1373 28 AQR Sep. 24, 1891 galaxy 4  
1398 29 PEG Nov. 6, 1891 galaxy 4  
1414 30 PEG Oct. 25, 1891 galaxy 4  
1470 62 CEP Mar. 20, 1892 emission nebula 4
Barnard, Mar. 21, 1892
1472 32 PEG Oct. 25, 1891 galaxy 4  
1474 33 PSC Oct. 6, 1891 galaxy 4  
1481 34 PSC Oct. 6, 1891 galaxy 4  

References: [1] Weiss, E., Beobachtungen auf der Wiener Sternwarte im Jahre 1888, AN [2932] 123, 57-64 (1889); [2] Weiss, E., Planeten- und Cometen-Beobachtungen im Jahre 1889, AN [2992] 125, 263-268 (1890); [3] Beobachtungen von Cometen und Nebeln, AN [2993] 125, 281-286 (1890); [4] Beobachtungen von Nebelflecken am 27 zöll. Grubb'schen Refractor der k. k. Sternwarte in Wien, AN [3167] 132, 369-394 (1893)

The following table contais objects, credited to Spitaler by Dreyer, but discovered by others (e.g. due to an identity). IC 492, 1365, and 1455 are further examples of coincidences.

Object
Identity
Discoverer
Remarks
IC 492
   Barnard, Feb. 5, 1991 Spitaler, Feb. 9, 1991; Javell 1892
IC 819, IC 820
NGC 4676
 W. Herschel The Mice
IC 832
   Safford 1866-68  
IC 1365
   Edward Swift, Sep. 28, 1891 Spitaler, Sep. 30, 1891
IC 1455
   Burnham, Sep. 23, 1891 Spitaler, Oct. 6, 1891

 

Vienna Observatory

 

 

27" Refractor