The Landessternwarte mourns the loss of Dr. Gerhard Klare, who died on July 24, 2024 at the age of 92.
Dr. Klare studied physics, astronomy and mathematics at the University of Heidelberg. He completed his studies in 1960 with the state examination for teaching at secondary schools. He then decided to pursue a doctorate in astronomy and a scientific career. He completed his dissertation on a “Search for Red Dwarf Stars Near the Sun and the Spatial Density of Red Giants” at the state observatory. In 1964 he received his doctorate from the University of Heidelberg.
Even as a student, Dr. Klare as an assistant at the Landessternwarte. From the beginning of his doctorate until five years after completing it, he worked there, first as a research assistant and then employed as an observer on a permanent basis.
He became known in the scientific community, among other things, for his investigation of the O/B stars in the southern Milky Way, which he carried out together with Thorsten Neckel from the MPIA. As an observing astronomer, he not only made intensive use of the telescopes on the Königstuhl, but also, for example on the Gamsberg in what is now Namibia, where he worked closely with colleagues from the MPIA on seeing measurements in preparation for the selection of a location for the then planned MPIA observatory in the southern hemisphere. In the 1980s he was a frequent user of the IUE satellite and made numerous trips to the ESA site in Villafranca.
Dr. Klare has discovered a large number of small planets. The asteroid “1825 Klare” was named after him. He published a considerable number of scientific publications and continued to write reviews and articles for magazines such as “Stars and Space” well into his old age.
Dr. Klare has also supported the German astronomical community. Clearly strongly committed. He was secretary of the German Astronomical Society from 1986 to 1993 and successfully tried to continue the “Announcements from the Astronomical Society”.
For many decades, the Königstuhl was not only his workplace, but also his home for more than 60 years. It wasn't until he was 90 that he had to leave it to move to a nursing home near Heidelberg.
The employees of the Landessternwarte will remember Dr. Klare as a very committed, always helpful, extremely friendly and likeable employee. Our deepest condolences go out to his relatives.
The funeral service will take place on Friday, September 6, 2024, at 2 p.m. at the Wiesloch main cemetery.
