Thomas Bugge

Thomas Bugge (12 October 1740 – 15 January 1815) was a Danish astronomer, mathematician and surveyor. He succeeded Christian Horrebow as professor of astronomy at the University of Copenhagen in 1777. His triangulation surveys of Denmark carried out under the auspices of the Royal Danish Academy of Sciences were instrumental in creating the first precise maps of Denmark. He served as president of the Royal Danish Society for Agriculture (1773–1783), director of the General Widows' Pension Fund (1782–), secretary of the Royal Danish Academy of Sciences (1801–1815) and three one-year terms as rector of the University of Copenhagen.

Early life and education Bugge was born on 12 October 1740 in Copenhagen, the son of royal and later Peder Bugge (1700–1773) and Oliva Saur (c. 1720 – 1785). He was taught privately by Hans Christian Saxtorph before studying theology at the University of Copenhagen, graduating in 1759.

Career

Bugge had at the same time under Christen Hees' (1712–1782) instruction studied mathematics, a subject he had shown a remarkable talent for. He worked as an assistant to Peder Kofoed (1728–1760) in connection with Kofoed's survey of Roskilde County under the auspices of the Royal Danish Academy of Science. He continued his studies of mathematics and physics and began working as an assistant for Christian Horrebow (1718–1776) at the Rundetårn Observatory. In 1761, he was sent to Trondheim to observe the Transit of Venus. The results were published in the French scientific journal Mémoires (1871). Following Kofoed's death, Bugge was hired as geographical surveyor by the Royal Danish Academy of Science. He surveyed approximately of Zealand annually and taught surveying at the same time. In 1765, he was appointed as trigonometrical observer and head of the Office of Surveying, where in that capacity, he carried out a triangulation of most of Zealand and Øresund and determined the polar height of a number of trig points.

As a practicing surveyor, he was responsible for the surveying of a number of estates and villages on Zealand. In 1768, Bugge was appointed Chief Surveyor. He was himself responsible for the education of surveyors and created guidelines for their work. Bugge became a member of the Royal Danish Academy of Science in 1775, further increasing his influence on its work with surveying of the country, and from 1780 until his death headed it alone. Bugge's work marked a breakthrough for the economic and geographic surveying of Denmark.

Written works (1779) (1795) (1814)