Max Waldmeier
Swiss astronomer, solar researcher and professor at ETH Zurich
About Max Waldmeier
Lived 1912 – 2000 (aged 88). Max Waldmeier was a Swiss astronomer, university teacher and astrophysicist.
Max Waldmeier (18 April 1912 – 26 September 2000) was a Swiss astronomer, known for his research on sunspots. As director of the Zurich Observatory until 1980, Waldmeier insisted on counting sunspots by eye over automated methods, using a Fraunhofer refracting telescope installed by Zurich Observatory director Rudolf Wolf in 1849.
Legacy Waldmeier was known for his "stubborn traditionalism" about how sunspots should be studied. and "the most arrogant astronomer in Switzerland in the mid-20th century."
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Frequently asked questions
Who was Max Waldmeier?
Swiss astronomer, solar researcher and professor at ETH Zurich (1912–2000)
When was Max Waldmeier born?
Max Waldmeier was born on 18 April 1912 in Olten.
When did Max Waldmeier die?
Max Waldmeier died on 26 September 2000 in Küsnacht.
What was Max Waldmeier's occupation?
Max Waldmeier was an astronomer, university teacher and astrophysicist.
What nationality was Max Waldmeier?
Max Waldmeier was Swiss.
Sources & further reading
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APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Max Waldmeier. https://biography.guide/max-waldmeier/
MLA: "Max Waldmeier." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/max-waldmeier/.
Chicago: "Max Waldmeier." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/max-waldmeier/.
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