Antonín Rükl (1932–2016)

Antonín Rükl (born 1932) is an astronomer, cartographer, and author from the Czech Republic.

He was born in Cáslav, Czechoslovakia. As a student he developed what was to be a life-long interest in Astronomy. He graduated from the Czech Technical University in 1956, then became a staff member of the astronomical department in the Prague Institute of Geodesy.

Beginning in 1960 he joined the Prague Planetarium, eventually becoming deputy directory and then head. He also became chairman of the Planetary Section of the Czechoslovak Astronomical Society. He also served as vice president of the International Planetarium Directors Conference from 1996 until 1999. He retired at the end of 1999.

During his career he was a popularizer of astronomy and authored many books on the subject. He is skilled in cartography as well as selenography, the skill of mapping the Moon. He illustrates many of his own books, including the highly regarded "Atlas of the Moon".

He is married to his wife Sonja, and they have a daughter Jane and son Mike.

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