Christian Gärtner (6 May 1705 – 31 December 1782) was a German telescope maker and astronomer, noted for his observation of the 1758 return of Halley's Comet.
[1] Gärtner was born at Tolkewitz near Dresden and even as a child had a passion for the stars.
He earned his living as a cloth-bleacher and spent his income on astronomical equipment and books.
Later, he learned to grind his own lenses and manufactured and sold telescopes.
Gärtner is commemorated by a crater on the Moon and by 132445 Gaertner, an asteroid.