| Year |
Recipient |
Institute |
| 2024 |
Dirk Lorenzen |
Deutschlandfunk, Hamburg |
|
... for efforts to popularise astronomy and space exploration to the public over the past three decades. Through radio shows (especially "Forschung aktuell", Deutschlandfunk), talks and several books he covers a broad spectrum of topics: fundamental astronomy, current observing recommendations and events, and developments in engineering and space exploration. As author of the daily column "Sternzeit", which is published by Deutschlandfunk, he answers questions by readers. The ability to develop such a program requires to dive deep into astronomical topics. |
|
| 2021 |
Uwe Reichert |
Schwetzingen |
|
... for excellent popular representations of the latest astronomy results in the German media. As editor-in-chief of the astronomy magazine Sterne und Weltraum, Uwe Reichert played a leading role in determining the development and content of the magazine for over 13 years, and was extremely adept at adapting the editorial and technical practices to the new challenges of the digital media world. |
|
| 2019 |
Johannes V. Feitzinger and Dieter B. Herrmann |
Bochum and Berlin |
|
... for decisively shaping the public perception of astronomy by presenting inherently new astronomical results to the public over several decades. |
|
| 2017 |
Hans-Ulrich Keller |
Planetarium Stuttgart |
|
Hans-Ulrich Keller is awarded for his outstanding popular-scientific presentation of the field of astronomy in the media. The former director of the Planetarium Stuttgart has dedicated himself for decades to this important task. |
|
| 2014 |
Ulrich Bastian |
ARI, Heidelberg |
|
… for his work in public relations, especially his longtime support of the readers' letters section of “Sterne und Weltraum”, which is essential for giving readers an understanding of astronomy and fascination with astronomical topics. |
|
| 2012 |
Hermann Michael Hahn |
Cologne |
|
… for his diversified activities for conveying basic knowledge of astronautics and astronomy to a broad audience. |
|
| 2009 |
Harald Lesch |
University Munich |
|
…for his numerous and highly regarded representations of astrophysics in the media. |
|
| 2004 |
Antonin Rükl |
Prague (CZ) |
|
… for his many books and publications and longtime activity in public relations that contributed successfully to giving the general public all over the world an understanding of astronomy. |
|
| 2001 |
Hans Jakob Staude |
MPIA, Heidelberg |
|
…for his outstanding commitment to imparting and disseminating astronomical knowledge and thinking. |
|
| 1997 |
Daniel Fischer |
Königswinter |
|
… for his longtime successful work in popularizing our science with him also embodying, not least with “Skyweek”, an outwardly prominent form of publication. |
|
| 1994 |
Johann Dorschner und Joachim Gürtler |
University Observatory Jena |
|
The two laureates have continued publishing the renowned astronomical journal “Die Sterne” with great dedication in their free time under adverse political circumstances. They succeeded in excluding political influence from the journal and until reunification they gained authors from the German Democratic Republic as well as from West Germany. |
|
| 1992 |
Rudolf Kippenhahn |
Göttingen |
|
Prof. Kippenhahn has managed successfully to get a broad audience enthusiastic about astronomy by delivering numerous speeches publicly and, since more than ten years, also with popular books. By the use of humor, especially when it comes to presenting complicated issues, he succeeded in sparking his audience’s and readers’ interest. |
|
| 1989 |
Hermann Mucke |
Vienna |
|
Prof. Mucke has made an outstanding effort regarding the popular display of astronomical findings in press, radio and television. Furthermore, he has organized many seminars and exhibitions which found general approval. Thus he has greatly promoted public interest in astronomical questions. |
|
| 1986 |
Joachim Herrmann |
Recklinghausen |
|
Since studying astronomy, physics and mathematics at the universities of Heidelberg and Munich, Mr. Herrmann has consistently and with great success acted as mediator between professional astronomy and a broad public interested in science. Most notably in connection to the Westphalian Public Observatory and the planetarium at Recklinghausen he has reached a wide and ever-changing audience in Germany and abroad through speeches and contributions to books and journals. Hence, he has communicated a clear and comprehensible portrait of modern astronomical research to a great number of people. |
|
| 1983 |
Karl Schaifers |
Heidelberg |
|
With high commitment as editor of the journal “Sterne und Weltraum”, he has brought together professional astronomers, interested non-professionals and amateur astronomers. As editor, he basically has compiled the history of our science over the last twenty years. For those not prepared for reading the journal, he assembled the handbook “Handbuch über das Weltall”, for beginners in astronomy he wrote the book “Geschwister der Sonne” and he also kept in mind children by writing “Meyers Sternbuch – Petra lernt den Himmel kennen”. |
|
