He grew up in Tepl. He studied philosophy, physics, mathematics, and theology at Prague University. He studied with Jan Tesánek. He was a professor of metaphysics at the University of Prague, and worked at the Prague Observatory. He wrote to Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. He was a member of the Royal Bohemian Society of Sciences. From 1806 to 1831, he was the secretary. He was dean at Charles-Ferdinand University. He was a member of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities. In 1815 he was appointed "Royal Astronomer". 