Arthur Alcock Rambaut

“ The experience gained on the northern survey under Argelander’s direction enabled Schönfeld to introduce some improvements in the methods employed, which increased the accuracy of this work, which was practically accomplished in March 1881, some revision only remaining to be done. These zone observations afforded 363,932 separate places of stars, and form the groundwork of the catalogue of 133,659 stars between 2° and 23° south declination, which was published in 1886 as the eighth volume of the Bonn observations. ”

“ In 1851 he visited the Bonn Observatory, and studied astronomy under Argelander. In 1853 he was appointed assistant, and in the following year won a doctor’s degree with his treatise Nova elementa Thetidis. At Bonn he took an important part in preparing the Durchmusterung of the northern heavens. He took up the investigation of the light-changes in variable stars, devoting to this work nights which, on account of moonlight, were unsuitable for zone observations. ”

“ Schönfeld was a member of the Astronomische Gesellschaft from its foundation in 1863, being a member of Council up to 1869, and in 1875 becoming editor of its publications and secretary in conjunction with Winnecke. In 1878 he was elected a Foreign Associate of the Royal Astronomical Society. ”