Michael Johannes Petronius Bille was a Danish, and Prussian naval officer born 8 November 1769 in Stege on the Danish Island of Møn into a naval family which had produced and would produce Danish admirals. The number of students increased from 40 in 1827 to 115-120 in 1831. As Rear Admiral from 1838 he busied himself with writing and research in natural sciences. In 1840 he published a book on navigation Tankar om och i navigationen. He died in Copenhagen 27 March 1845.