The Encyclopedia Americana (1920)/Abbe, Ernst

ABBE, Ernst, German physicist: b. Eisenach, 1840; d. 1905. Studied at Jena and Gottingen; became assistant at the latter's observatory, and lecturer before the Frankfort-on-the-Main Physical Society; 1863–70 lecturer at Jena, and 1870 professor there; 1878 director of its observatories; in 1891 he resigned professorship. He became distinguished for his work in perfecting optical instruments, especially photograph and microscope lenses, having for a long time been connected with the highly reputed firm of Carl Zeiss in Jena. He invented the Abbe refractometer. He wrote a work in German in the ‘Refracting and Dispersing Power of Solid and Fluid Bodies.’