Bessel, Friedrich Wilhelm

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Bessel, Friedrich Wilhelm (1784–1846) German astronomer and mathematician. Bessel devised a system for analysing and reducing astronomical observations, made the first accepted measurements of the distance of a star (61 Cygni), and accurately predicted that Sirius and Procyon are binary stars. He devised Bessel functions, a type of mathematical function, after observing perturbations of the planets.

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