Thursday, December 31, 2015
Friday, July 19, 2013
Silesian Pallas
She had been working at nights… Why? That is the question... The answer is that Maria
Cunitz was an accomplished astronomer and the most learned woman in astronomy since the legendary ancient
Hypatia of Alexandria (a Neoplatonist philosopher, matemathician and
astronomer). Her book published in her own expense, Urania propitia, 1650 was
written both in Latin and German. It provided new tables, new ephemera and a
more elegant solution to Kepler’s Problem. Simply speaking, Maria Cunitz’s work was aimed to determine the position of a planet in its orbit as a function of time.
It was a simplification of the Rudolphine Tables.
Talented musician, accomplished
painter and outstanding astronomer. Moreover, she was able to converse in
seven languages, German, Polish, Italian, French, Latin, Greek and Hebrew. That
is why, because of her many talents and accomplishments, Maria was called the Silesian Pallas (Pallas Athena in Greek mythology is the goddess of wisdom).
Today’s sculpture of Maria Cunitz in
her home town Swidnica, where she has been sitting since 2009 on the bench near her house,
is devoted to her memory. I am still surprised by a fact that I knew nothing about her, about Maria, while living in Swidnica. This city is my home town as well.
After three centuries, I have discovered her story of love and passion to
astronomy and science in general. What a marvellous story… I can say. Hence, 12624 Mariacunitia, a main-belt minor planet, discovered on October 17, 1960 in San Diego, was named after her - Maria Cunitz, a Silesian astronomer of the 17th century.
By the way, Maria through the language of her book
developed the German language of science, knowing that she published both in German and Latin in 17th
century. But, for me, first of all, she imprinted her immortal hand on the
city, which has a complicated and rich history. A city which belonged, in the past, firstly, to the Polish Piast duke named Bolko I of Swidnica, secondly, to a part
of Bohemia, thirdly, to Prussia and the German Empire, and, which was reassigned to Poland after World War II.
A Silesian city which is hers… and mine. Per Maria ad astra, working at nights, and looking at stars...
Thursday, April 4, 2013
A Fairy Tale
Once upon a time... in Poland lived the Geek Girls Carrots absolutely mad on the subject of the new technologies and IT. They made a community of the geeks… being addicted to mutual meetings, supporting their start ups, implementing the new fresh ideas and loving carrot and non-carrot cakes so much...
What a fairy tale… you would probably say...
Their best friends were the mobile devices… and they loved to use them all the time with care. Deprived of personal fear, full of innovative concepts, against the waves, they decided to stay tuned in a reality forever.
What a fairy tale… you would probably say...
But there is a happy end as well…
The Geek Girls Carrots’ meeting in Wroclaw… a place where the girls dreams' come true in a man’s world.
Fiszer Business Translations enjoyed the story... and attended the great party knowing that ... the girls met happily ever after...
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Copernicus
The beauty of science
Part 2
Google Doodle for Copernicus' 540th birthday.
Nicolaus Copernicus was a renowned Polish astronomer, mathematician and scientist. His heliocentric model of our solar system paved a new way for science. Absolutely revolutionary, the Copernican theory of the universe broke through the 16th century mode of thinking about the world and planetary system.
Today's Google animated doodle shows the planets rotating around the Sun.
Amazingly for us, the Copernican theory still is thought-provoking.
Sunday, January 20, 2013
The Owl Mountains in Poland
Inspired by the Owl Mountains in Lower Silesia in Poland.
Foggy, snowy, white...
Heart-melting mountain images. Frozen in time. Timeless.
Heart-melting mountain images. Frozen in time. Timeless.
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Saturday, January 5, 2013
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