Jean Diesselberger, one of the principal and most disciplined authors of “Urania,” has died. For ten years he edited our “Ephemeris,” carefully plotting the paths of the planets among the stars on his unforgettable maps.
Many of the details of these journeys—the constellations, conjunctions, oppositions, equinoxes, solstices, lunar phases, and more—were repeated every year, but John always found a brilliant way to describe them in different, always convincing words! And there were always enough of these words, letters, and drawings to fill all the pages of the “calendar” with mathematical accuracy down to the centimeter. The latest edition can be found in the just-completed issue 3/2024, and in the online version on our website. Take a look at these beautiful dark blue drawings and their poetic descriptions one last time…
Jan was widely known as a charismatic astronomy popularizer, perhaps even the most famous in Silesia. For many years he was an employee of the Silesian Planetarium. However, he shared his astronomical passion not only with the guests of this facility. Since 1990, he collaborated with the Polish Radio Katowice. With his programs dedicated to astronomy, such as “Gwiezdna Pogodynka” and “Gwiaździarnia Pana Jana”, he inspired listeners to look up at the sky. Thanks to him, many people decided to study astronomy or expand their passion with new opportunities. Among them were the discoverers of comets and asteroids Michał Żołnowski and Michał Kusiak, who in 2017 named the asteroid they discovered 495759 Jandesselberger.
He was 79 years old. Jan Diesselberger’s funeral will be held on July 9 at 12:00 GMT 9:00, at the parish cemetery in Katowice-Janów, in the Mujahideen. Cemetery.
Author: Maciej Mikołajowski
Prepared by: Magda Mazowska
Photo: Jan Diesselberger. Photo by Polish Radio Katowice.
