Johann Georg Hagen
Encyclopedia
Johann Georg Hagen (March 6, 1847 – September 5, 1930) was an eminent American astronomer and Catholic priest.
, Austria
. He was the son of a school teacher.
, commonly known as the Jesuits, in Gorheim, Germany
in 1863. He attended a Jesuit College in Feldkirch, Austria and also studied mathematics
and astronomy
at the University of Bonn
and the University of Münster
. He volunteered for the ambulance service in the Franco-Prussian War
, but was struck with typhoid fever
.
, chancellor of Germany, expelled the Jesuits from the German Empire. Johann fled to England
where he was eventually ordained into the priesthood.
. There he began teaching at Sacred Heart College
in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin
. There he cultivated his interest in astronomy
and built a small observatory
for making astronomical observations. In Wisconsin, he became a naturalized citizen.
He was called to serve as the Director of the Georgetown University
Observatory in 1888. There he continued his research and published numerous articles and texts.
to take charge of the Vatican Observatory
in Rome
. He died in Rome in 1930.
The crater Hagen
on the Moon
is named after him.
Early life
Johann Georg Hagen was born in BregenzBregenz
-Culture:The annual summer music festival Bregenzer Festspiele is a world-famous festival which takes place on and around a stage on Lake Constance, where a different opera is performed every second year.-Sport:* A1 Bregenz HB is a handball team....
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
. He was the son of a school teacher.
Entering the Jesuit Order
Johann entered the Roman Catholic Society of JesusSociety of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
, commonly known as the Jesuits, in Gorheim, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
in 1863. He attended a Jesuit College in Feldkirch, Austria and also studied mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
and astronomy
Astronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
at the University of Bonn
University of Bonn
The University of Bonn is a public research university located in Bonn, Germany. Founded in its present form in 1818, as the linear successor of earlier academic institutions, the University of Bonn is today one of the leading universities in Germany. The University of Bonn offers a large number...
and the University of Münster
University of Münster
The University of Münster is a public university located in the city of Münster, North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany. The WWU is part of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, a society of Germany's leading research universities...
. He volunteered for the ambulance service in the Franco-Prussian War
Franco-Prussian War
The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia. Prussia was aided by the North German Confederation, of which it was a member, and the South German states of Baden, Württemberg and...
, but was struck with typhoid fever
Typhoid fever
Typhoid fever, also known as Typhoid, is a common worldwide bacterial disease, transmitted by the ingestion of food or water contaminated with the feces of an infected person, which contain the bacterium Salmonella enterica, serovar Typhi...
.
Expulsion
On July 4, 1872, Otto von BismarckOtto von Bismarck
Otto Eduard Leopold, Prince of Bismarck, Duke of Lauenburg , simply known as Otto von Bismarck, was a Prussian-German statesman whose actions unified Germany, made it a major player in world affairs, and created a balance of power that kept Europe at peace after 1871.As Minister President of...
, chancellor of Germany, expelled the Jesuits from the German Empire. Johann fled to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
where he was eventually ordained into the priesthood.
Emigration to US
In June 1880, he left England for the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. There he began teaching at Sacred Heart College
Sacred Heart College (Wisconsin)
Sacred Heart College was a Jesuit operated college in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin from 1880-1888. It was founded by German Jesuits and trained people to serve in various capacieites within the Roman Catholic Church....
in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
. There he cultivated his interest in astronomy
Astronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
and built a small observatory
Observatory
An observatory is a location used for observing terrestrial or celestial events. Astronomy, climatology/meteorology, geology, oceanography and volcanology are examples of disciplines for which observatories have been constructed...
for making astronomical observations. In Wisconsin, he became a naturalized citizen.
He was called to serve as the Director of the Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
Observatory in 1888. There he continued his research and published numerous articles and texts.
Vatican Observatory
In 1906, John was called by Pope Pius XPope Pius X
Pope Saint Pius X , born Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto, was the 257th Pope of the Catholic Church, serving from 1903 to 1914. He was the first pope since Pope Pius V to be canonized. Pius X rejected modernist interpretations of Catholic doctrine, promoting traditional devotional practices and orthodox...
to take charge of the Vatican Observatory
Vatican Observatory
The Vatican Observatory is an astronomical research and educational institution supported by the Holy See. Originally based in Rome, it now has headquarters and laboratory at the summer residence of the Pope in Castel Gandolfo, Italy, and an observatory at the Mount Graham International...
in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. He died in Rome in 1930.
The crater Hagen
Hagen (crater)
Hagen is a lunar crater on the far side of the Moon. It lies to the north of the huge walled plain Planck, and south-southwest of the crater Pauli....
on the Moon
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...
is named after him.