Julius Berkowski

Johann Julius Friedrich Berkowski was a Prussian photographer who is notable for taking the first known photograph of a solar eclipse and its Stellar corona. The pioneering image was captured during the total solar eclipse on July 28, 1851, at the Royal Observatory in Königsberg, Prussia (now Kaliningrad, Russia).

Details about Berkowski's early life and education remain scarce. What is known is that he was a skilled daguerreotypist in Königsberg during the mid-19th century.^[1]

Berkowski's career is primarily marked by his significant contribution to astronomical photography. On July 28, 1851, utilizing a daguerreotype process, Berkowski produced the first successful photograph of a solar eclipse, which also distinctly captured the solar corona for the first time.^[1] The photograph was taken using a small refracting telescope attached to a camera, through which an 84-second exposure was made. This event marked a turning point in the use of photography in astronomy, showcasing the potential of photographic methods in capturing celestial phenomena.^[2]

The original daguerreotype captured by Berkowski has not survived, but several second-generation daguerreotypes and later photographic copies have. The historical significance of Berkowski's photograph extends beyond its status as a first; it demonstrated the feasibility of using photography to capture and study astronomical events, laying foundational techniques for future astronomical observations.