| 1863 | Joined Mathematics Society founded by Hermann Schäffer in Jena. |
 | Doctorate lecture in Jena on the "regularity of the distribution of errors in series of observations". |
| Private instructor for math and physics at the University of Jena. |
| Member of the Medical Natural Sciences Society in Jena. Gave 45 speeches by 1895. |
| 1864 | Establishes a physics internship at the University of Jena. |
| 1866 | Independent scientist at the Court and University Mechanics Department Carl Zeiss in Jena. |
| 1870 | Abbe formulates his famous wave theory of microscope image formation and defines what becomes known as the Abbe sine condition which is a condition that must be met by any spherically corrected lens if it is also to be free from coma in the neighborhood of the lens axis. |
| Adjunct professor at the University of Jena. |
| 1871 | September 24th. Marries Elise Snell, daughter of Prof. Dr. Karl Snell, professor for math and physics at the University of Jena. |
| 1872 | All Zeiss microscopes constructed according to Abbe's calculations. |
| 1873 | Travel to Vienna. |
| 1874 | April 30th. Birth of daughter Paula. |
| August 18. Father dies. |