Gustav Niessl von Mayendorf
Encyclopedia
Gustav Niessl von Mayendorf (born 26 April, 1839 in Verona
, died 1 September, 1919 in Hütteldorf
, Vienna; often cited as G. von Niessl), was an Austrian astronomer
and mycologist.
Niessl, the son of an artillery officer, studied at the Polytechnic in Vienna in 1857 and became assistant to practical geometry. In 1859 he took the chair of practical geometry at the Technical College in Brno
, where he became a full professor in 1860 and later taught applied geometry, astronomy and higher geodesy
. He became the director in 1868/1869. After this technical college, he was its rector in 1877/78 and 1888/89. In 1907 he retired (and in the same year received an honorary doctorate). For several decades he was secretary of the Natural Science Society in Brno.
Niessl was first engaged in geodesy. As an astronomer, he was employed with Niessl meteor orbits and also wrote the article in the Enzyklopädie der mathematischen Wissenschaften (Encyclopedia of Mathematical Sciences) (1907). Niessl was also a significant mycologist and mushroom collector, whose collection at the Botanical State Collection Munich went. He was regarded as an expert in the flora of Moravia
and Silesia
, and had close contact with the botanist Gottlob Ludwig Rabenhorst
.
Two fungal species were named after him. He was particularly concerned with microscopic sac fungi, slime molds, and rusts
.
Since 1904, he was a corresponding member of the Austrian Academy of Sciences
. He was a member of the Austrian Commission for International Geodesy and the Patent Court.
Verona
Verona ; German Bern, Dietrichsbern or Welschbern) is a city in the Veneto, northern Italy, with approx. 265,000 inhabitants and one of the seven chef-lieus of the region. It is the second largest city municipality in the region and the third of North-Eastern Italy. The metropolitan area of Verona...
, died 1 September, 1919 in Hütteldorf
Hütteldorf
Hütteldorf is a part of Vienna's 14th district, Penzing. It is located in the west of Vienna, but roughly in the geographical center of the district, stretching roughly from Deutschordenstraße in the east to Wolf in der Au in the west, where Hütteldorf borders Hadersdorf-Weidlingau.Hütteldorf is...
, Vienna; often cited as G. von Niessl), was an Austrian astronomer
Astronomer
An astronomer is a scientist who studies celestial bodies such as planets, stars and galaxies.Historically, astronomy was more concerned with the classification and description of phenomena in the sky, while astrophysics attempted to explain these phenomena and the differences between them using...
and mycologist.
Niessl, the son of an artillery officer, studied at the Polytechnic in Vienna in 1857 and became assistant to practical geometry. In 1859 he took the chair of practical geometry at the Technical College in Brno
Brno
Brno by population and area is the second largest city in the Czech Republic, the largest Moravian city, and the historical capital city of the Margraviate of Moravia. Brno is the administrative centre of the South Moravian Region where it forms a separate district Brno-City District...
, where he became a full professor in 1860 and later taught applied geometry, astronomy and higher geodesy
Geodesy
Geodesy , also named geodetics, a branch of earth sciences, is the scientific discipline that deals with the measurement and representation of the Earth, including its gravitational field, in a three-dimensional time-varying space. Geodesists also study geodynamical phenomena such as crustal...
. He became the director in 1868/1869. After this technical college, he was its rector in 1877/78 and 1888/89. In 1907 he retired (and in the same year received an honorary doctorate). For several decades he was secretary of the Natural Science Society in Brno.
Niessl was first engaged in geodesy. As an astronomer, he was employed with Niessl meteor orbits and also wrote the article in the Enzyklopädie der mathematischen Wissenschaften (Encyclopedia of Mathematical Sciences) (1907). Niessl was also a significant mycologist and mushroom collector, whose collection at the Botanical State Collection Munich went. He was regarded as an expert in the flora of Moravia
Moravia
Moravia is a historical region in Central Europe in the east of the Czech Republic, and one of the former Czech lands, together with Bohemia and Silesia. It takes its name from the Morava River which rises in the northwest of the region...
and Silesia
Silesia
Silesia is a historical region of Central Europe located mostly in Poland, with smaller parts also in the Czech Republic, and Germany.Silesia is rich in mineral and natural resources, and includes several important industrial areas. Silesia's largest city and historical capital is Wrocław...
, and had close contact with the botanist Gottlob Ludwig Rabenhorst
Gottlob Ludwig Rabenhorst
Gottlob Ludwig Rabenhorst was a German botanist. He was a student in Berlin and Belzig from 1822 to 1830, a pharmacist in Luckau until 1840, and received his doctorate in Jena in 1841. Rabenhorst edited the scientific journal Hedwigia from 1852 to 1878....
.
Two fungal species were named after him. He was particularly concerned with microscopic sac fungi, slime molds, and rusts
Rust (fungus)
Rusts are plant diseases caused by pathogenic fungi of the order Pucciniales. About 7800 species are known. Rusts can affect a variety of plants; leaves, stems, fruits and seeds. Rust is most commonly seen as coloured powder, composed off tiny aeciospores which land on vegetation producing...
.
Since 1904, he was a corresponding member of the Austrian Academy of Sciences
Austrian Academy of Sciences
The Austrian Academy of Sciences is a legal entity under the special protection of the Federal Republic of Austria. According to the statutes of the Academy its mission is to promote the sciences and humanities in every respect and in every field, particularly in fundamental research...
. He was a member of the Austrian Commission for International Geodesy and the Patent Court.