ASTRONOMICAL CONFERENCE AT LENINGRAD

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A004800570009-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 27, 2007
• Sequence Number: 9
• Publication Date: September 7, 1954
• Content Type: REPORT

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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
This material contains information affecting the Na-
tional Defense of the United States within the mean-
ing of the Espionage Laws, Title 18. U.S.C. Sees. 793
and 794, the transmission or revelation of which in
any manner to an unauthorized person is prohibited
by law.
REPOR]
SUBJECT Astronomical Conference at Leningrad DATE DISTR. 7 September.1954
DATE OF INFO.
PLACE ACQUIRED
This is UNEVALUATED
NO. OF PAGES 4
REQUIREMENT NO. RD
REFERENCES
THE SOURCE EVALUATIONS IN THIS REPORT ARE DEFINITIVE.
THE APPRAISAL OF CONTENT IS TENTATIVE.
(FOR KEY SEE REVERSE)
Agenda of Conference
1. The official ceremonies of the Soviet astronomical conference at Leningrad,
marking the opening of Pulkovo Observatory, began on the evening of 20 May
1954 and were held in the building of the Academy of Sciences. Among the
speakers were M.S. Zverev and Nikolay N. Pavlov, who delivered their
speeches in Russian.1 All speeches dealt with the historical background
and position of Pulkovo Observatory and were extremely dull.
2. On 21 May, several hundred delegates assembled at Pulkovo in the main
observatory. A tremendous number of Soviet photographers and newsreel
men were.present. Greetings were read from the president of the Inter-
national Astronomical Union (IAU). All delegations, including those from
each Soviet republic, made speeches. An hour and a half was allowed for
delegates to inspect the observatory (see paragraphs 7-9 below).
3. On 22 May, further speeches on Pulkovo were given in the Academy of
Sciences building. There were no talks along specific professional lines.
A formal banquet for approximately 100 persons was given at the Astoriya
Hotel in the evening.
4. Symposia on variable stars and astrometry were held from 24 to 26 May.
At least 50 percent of the discussions were routine, and no new ideas or
startling developments were presented. The bulk of the discussions and
papers were in Russian or some other Slavic language.
5. From a professional standpoint, the conference was poorly organized and
a complete waste of time. All the Western delegates were disappointed
in this respect and were given no opportunity to project their own ideas.
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Soviet Astronomical Personalities
Soviet astronomical personalities:
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Pulkovo is a tremendous establishment with a staff of about 70 so-called
scientists, who do measuring, observations, etc., and a large number of
other personnel. The observatory has its own apartments for staff members
and a hotel for visiting astronomers. The observatory appears to be well
constructed but in a luxurious and ostentatious style similar to the
Moscow Metro. The location is on a slope, which could very well subject
observations to air turbulence.
8. There were temperature indicators on all measuring instruments, such as
meridian circles and transit instruments. Wires were connected up all
over these instruments. The Soviets indicated that they consider these
temperature readings of outstanding importance in computing their data.
Pulkovo makes photo-electric observations of the color of stars. The
Soviets indicated that they have made one color:unit in the infra-red
beyond 12,000 angstroms. This is perplexing, as there are no known
satisfactory emulsions to carry out such a step. Evidently, the Soviets
have somehow succeeded in transferring star light by photo-electric
means from infra-red into visual. The Soviets would not say what pro-
cedure they used.
..10. A new observatory is being built on the grounds of Lomonosov University
in Moscow. for use as a training observatory and is expected to open in
either September or October 1954. The office and library of the Stern-
berg Observatory are to be moved to Lomonosov, and the Sternberg
Observatory and instruments will be moved to a new location about 30 or
40 kilometers outside of Moscow.
Sternberg Institute
11. Sternberg Institute in Moscow has a very systematic and impressive card
cataloguing method. The carding is kept up to date, and the following
items are covered: stellar parallax, radio velocities, variable stars,
new stars, novae and super novae, old variable stars outside the Milky
Way, and photographic observations of variable stars. Outside the
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institute, there is a small Maksutov telescope of about 50 centimeters
and an excellent measuring machine for two coordinates, which does not
use screws; instead, measuring rods of very modern design are used.
Photometers appear to be old-fashioned but are based on the photo-electric
technique.
Soviet Astronomical Methods and Equipment
12. Inspection and discussion of the Soviet photo-electric method and equip-
ment proved that they are not so good as claimed by the Soviets.
13. The Soviets have very little equipment for sun observations and take only
routine measures. They did not indicate that they do any stellar observ-
ations. In addition, the Soviets always discuss material in this field
originating from outside the USSR and make no mention of their own work.
Only routine radio telescope equi..ment was observed, and nothing new or
of outstanding importance was seen.
14. With respect to lenses and astronomical telescopes, there was newly con-
structed equipment on display at Pulkovo. Generally, only routine equip-
ment was observed, which appeared no better than what is being used in
the West. All optics are being manufactured in Leningrad; Dmitriy D.
Maksutov is responsible for practically all design of new types. There
will soon be a metallic mirror telescope at the Crimean Observatory; at
present, there is a 50-inch parabolic glass mirror telescope at the
observatory.
15. No electronic computers were observed. Computers at Sternberg Institute
are all old-fashioned, small, and unimportant in design and capability.
Time service clocks are of no significance and are not up to the standard
of Western instruments.
Soviet Plans for Observing the Solar Eclipse on 30 June 1954
16. The Soviets have a total of 24 stations from which to observe the solar
eclipse on 30 June 1954. The stations will be spread along a line running
from Riga to the Caucasus. There will be a station at Pyatigorsk in the
Caucasus and another near Kharkov. A group from the Sternberg Institute,
including Miss Alla Masevich and Paraytskiy (fnu), will man the Pyatigorsk
station. Professor Bogoslavskaya (fnu) has equipment in place on the roof
of Sternberg Institute to observe the eclipse. Equipment includes a
coelostat, which is to be used for making colored photos of the corona.
The instrument is new, mechanically well made, and similar to what is
currently in use in Western Europe. On the grounds of Sternberg Institute,
there are new instruments for measuring the outer coro T e Soviets
and the Czechs
plan to be stationed there as well.
Possible Soviet Expedition to the Southern Hemisphere
17. Since 1932, the Soviets have been working on a new fundamental catalogue
which will use the method of minor planets for the determination of the
equinoctial points and extra-galactic nebulae as points of reference. The
catalogue cannot be completed without data from the Southern Hemisphere,
and the possibility of sending an expedition
has been frequently discussed in Soviet literature. At the conference,
the Soviets openly stated that they had no notion of sending an expedition
to the Southern Hemisphere and that it was quite impossible for them to
do so.
18.
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Comments
1. Zverev was previously reported to be the deputy director of Pulkovo
Observatory in 1952. Pavlov was a member of the Presidium of the
Astronomical Council, Institute of Theoretical Astronomy, Department
of Physico-Mathematical Sciences, Academy of Sciences, in 1950.
2. Fesenkov is director of the Institute of Astrophysics, Kazakh Academy
of Sciences.
3.
4.
As of 1952, Kharadze was director of the Abastumani Astrophysical
Observatory.
As of 1952, Kukarkin was director of the Sternberg Institute of
Astroncmy in Mcscow.
Orlov is reported to be the director of the Crimean Astrophysics
Observatory.
6. As of 1950, Shayn was director of the Crimean Astrophysics Observa-
tory.
7.
Shklovskiy is a member of the Sternberg Institute.
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