Johannes Schöner

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Johannes Schöner (January 16, 1477 in Karlstadt am Main – January 16, 1547 in Nürnberg) (aka, Johann Schönner, Jean Schönner, Johann Schoenerus) was a German mathematician, astronomer, astrologer, cartographer and editor.

In 1494, he began to study thelogy, mathematics and medicine at Erfurt. He was ordained priest in 1500. In Nürnberg, he learned observing astronomy with Bernard Walther. Until 1525, he hold several positions in churches at and near Bamberg. 1526, he was called to Nürnberg as the first professor of mathematics at the newly founded gymnasium Aegidianum, a post he held till one year prior to his death. At the same time, he converted to Protestantism and married.

Already in Bamberg, he owned his own printing company and published many maps and globes. The very first printed globe of the sky was made in his workshop in 1515.

He made another globe in 1520, which some consider to show Antarctica, way before the officially known first discovery records. Like the Piri Reis map, which was drawn in 1513, which some also say shows Antarctica.

In Nürnberg, he published the astronomical observations of Regiomontanus and Walther, as well as manuscripts of Regiomontanus, which had been in the hand of Walther.

1538, Georg Joachim Rheticus, a young professor of mathematics at Wittenberg, stayed for some time with him. He convinced him to visit Copernicus at Frauenburg to prepare Copernicus manuscript for printing. He had also made available to Copernicus data from Walther prior to publication. In 1540, Rheticus dedicated the first report Narratio prima to Schöner.

A crater on Mars is named in his honor.

[edit] See also

• Johannes Schöner globe
• Ancient world maps
• World map