Daga 1866 zuwa 1870, Palisa ya yi nazarin ilmin lissafi da ilmin taurari a Jami'ar Vienna; duk da haka, bai kammala ba sai 1884. Duk da wannan, a 1870 ya kasance mataimakin a jami'ar ta kallo, kuma bayan shekara guda ya sami matsayi a wurin kallo a Geneva. Bayan 'yan shekaru, a 1872, yana da shekaru 24, Palisa ya zama darektan na Austrian Naval Observatory a Pula, a Pula, a ranar 18 ga Maris, 1874. Tare da wannan, ya gano asteroid na farko, 136 Austria, a ranar 18 ga Maris, 1874. Tare da wannan, ya gano ashirin da bakwai kananan taurari da kuma daya. A lokacin da yake zama a Pula ya yi amfani da karamin telescope na shida-inch don taimakawa a cikin bincikensa.
24 da kuma