Known principally for his discovery of the Möbius strip, which made him a pioneer in the field of topology, August Ferdinand Möbius also did important work in theoretical astronomy and analytic geometry.

Möbius, born in Schulpforta, Germany on November 17, 1790, was the only child of a dancing teacher and his wife. Until he was 13, Möbius received his education at home. Already noted for his talent in mathematics, he began attending regular school in Schulpforta in 1803 and in 1809 started classes at Leipzig University. At first believing that he wanted to study law (perhaps due to his family's influence), Möbius quickly returned to mathematics as his dominant academic interest. Astronomy and physics were close seconds, however, and he took many classes in both.

In 1813 Möbius left Leipzig for the academic mecca of Göttingen, having been chosen for...