Harding, Carl Ludwig

Born Lauenburg, (Schleswig-Holstein, Germany), 29 July 1765

Died Göttingen, (Germany), 31 August 1834

Carl Harding is best remembered for his discovery of the third asteroid in 1804, which he found while preparing an ecliptic star atlas. He was the son of Carl Ludwig Harding, a protestant pastor, and his wife Christine Louise (née Engelbrecht).

Following his studies of theology, mathematics, and physics at Göttingen (1786–1789), Harding became a private tutor. In 1796, he joined the household of Johann Schröter at Lilienthal, near Bremen. Harding was soon involved in the widespread observational activities of his patron and, from 1800, held the position of observatory inspector. In 1805, he became a professor of practical astronomy at Göttingen. His promotion to full professorship followed in 1812. Harding was married and had one daughter.

Physical observations of the planets had constituted the main activity of Schröter’s Lilienthal Observatory. But with the discovery of (1) Ceres,...