(SANITIZED)THE PULKOVO OBSERVATORY(SANITIZED)

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80T00246A004800320003-1
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• Document Page Count: 50
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Sequence Number: 3
• Content Type: REPORT

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IN
ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE USSR
A. N. D A D A E V
THE PULKOVO
OBSERVATORY
ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE USSR PRESS
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ACADEMY OF .SCIENCES OF THE USSR
CENTRAL ASTRONOMICAL OBSERVATORY
THE PUTLKOVO
OBSERVATORY
ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE USSR PRESS.
MOSCOW 1958 - - LENINGRAD
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THE HISTORY OF THE OBSERVATORY
The Pulkovo Observatory was founded by an outstand-'
ing astronomer of the nineteenth century, F. W. Struve
(1793-1864). It was built according to the design of the
well-known Russian architect, A. P. Brnllow (1798-1877).
The official ceremonious inauguration of the observatory
took place on August 19 (7), 1839.
The founding of a first-class astronomical observatory
of the Academy of Sciences was dictated by the practical
needs for a geographical study of the vast territory of the
Russian Empire, which was then on the way to capitalistic
development. The newly built observatory was equipped
with the most perfect instruments of those days, these
being ordered by F. W. Struve in foreign countries. .
The main task of the observatory was the determination
of the exact coordinates of celestial bodies in order to com-
pile star catalogues. This problem was solved by the abso-
lute and differential methods of observation. More
precise values of astronomical constants were also derived
from the data thus obtained.
In order to determine the absolute coordinates of stars,,
independently of any other previous measurements,
F. W. Struve proposed that the right ascensions and declina-%
tions of the stars be observed separately. For this purpose
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a large transit instrument (the diameter of the object-glass
D==150 mm, 1=260 cm) and a vertical circle (D=150 mm,
f=195 cm), made by Ertel in Munich, were installed.
The differential observations were made with a Repsold
meridian circle (D=150 mm, f=215 cm). The constants
of aberration and notation were determined with a Rep-
sold transit instrument (D=155 mm, f=235 cm) in the
prime vertical. The method of determining the astro-
nomical constants was elaborated by F. W. Struve, who
made these observations himself. A 15-inch refractor,
the largest in the world at that time, was instal-
led for measurements of double stars. This instrument was
made
by
Fraunhofer's successors - the German opticians
Merz
and
Mahler.
F.
W.
Struve not only determined. the aims and pro-
blems
of
the observatory but also the whole organization
of its work, this being fixed by the Statute of the Central
Astronomical Observatory.
At lirst the scientific staff of the observatory consisted
of the director (the first astronomer), F. W. Struve, and
his four assistants: 0. W. Struve, G. Sabler, G. Fuss and
C. A. F. Peters. By a skillful use of the first-class equip-
ment and a constant perfection of the methods of obser-
vations they pioneered new paths in observational astro-
nomy and founded the Pulkovo astrometrical school where
the (art of observation)) was combined with the ((science
of observation.
Executing the main task of the observatory the gene-
rations of Pulkovo astrometrists compiled absolute cata-
logues of right ascensions and declinations of stars for the
epochs 1845, 1865, 1885, 1905, and 1930, which included
from 374 to 558 bright stars. With the publication of the
catalogues of 1845 and 1865, it became possible to compile
on their basis fundamental catalogues of star positions,
using also the observations of other observatories. Such
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work was done in the seventienth years of the past.century,
in the USA and. Germany (S. Newcomb,- A. Auwers
L. Boss).. The. Pulkovo catalogues, distinguished by their
exceptionally high precision, are used even now for the
compilation of fundamental systems, invariably with
the largest weight.
With, the development of astrophotography a program
was put.forward at Pulkovo for the compilation of an.ab-
solute catalogue including stars exclusively of the mag-
nitudes 5-7, uniformly distributed over the sky (one
star for every 25 degrees) from the north pole to -15?.
This program served as a basis for observations with the
transit instrument and vertical circle of the 1900 catalogue.
In 1909.at the International conference in Paris the Pul-
kovo program, proposed by 0. A.. Backlund, was accepted
.as. an international program, supplemented by Hough,
then the director of the Cape Obesrvatory, with stars of
.the, southern sky. Later the observations of stars of the
Backlund-Hough list made with meridian instruments of
:many observatories (Pulkovo, Nikolayev, Greenwich, Cape,
Washington and others) served as a basis of the extensive
and high-precision catalogues of 1915 and 1925.
However the compilation of star catalogues was not
the only aim of observations made by Pulkovo astronomers.
They also carried on classical investigations dealing with
other problems of astronomy: the determination of the
astronomical constants of. precession; nutation and aber-
ration, the study,;of the refraction of light in the Earth's
atmosphere,. the determination of stellar parallaxes (the
distances. to the stars), the determination of the peculiar
rities of. stellar motions in. connection with the motion
of the solar system in space, etc. . .
'So, in .1842 C.. A. F. Peters and G., Lundahl printed
the-results.. of the 'determination, of the constants of aber-
ration and mutation; . derived. from observatiori_made:.:by
.5
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F. W. Struve and E. Preiss in Dorpat (now Tartu, Estonia)
during 1822-1838. That same year 0. Struve published
a paper on the determination of the precessional constant
from a comparison of the Dorpat observations with Brad.-
ley's catalogue. In 1843 a memoir by F. W. Struve, which
contained a reduction of observations with the transit
instrument in the prime vertical, was edited. The value
of the constant of aberration which he derived is very close
to the value accepted at present. All the above investi-
gations established a system of the main asrtonomical
constants, which needed revision only after 50 years.
In 1846 C. A. F. Peters printed an article in which the
absolute parallaxes of eight stars were determined from
observations with the vertical circle. In 1847 an investi-
gation by F. W. Struve ((Studies in Stellar Astronomy#
was published in book-form. In it considerations on the
structure of the Milky Way, the motion of the Sun among
the stars and evidence for the existence of light absorption
in interstellar space were given.
On the basis of the theory, previosly elaborated by the
Pulkovo astronomer H. Gylden, A. I. Gromadzsky com-
piled the ((Tables of Refraction of the Pulkovo Observatory#
in 1870. These tables have been published four times and
even now they are the main tables used in all astronomical
and geodetical works for correcting the observed star posi-
tions for refraction in the Earth's atmosphere.
The Pulkovo Observatory played a very active part
in the geodetical and geographical undertakings in Russia.
It is sufficient to mention the classical measurements of
the arc of the meridian, 25?20' in length, between the
Danube and the Arctic Ocean. This was the longest arc
measured up to that time and even now would be conside-
red a very large enterprise. The Pulkovo astronomers also
took part in other extensive are measurements, including
those made on Spitzbergen in 1899-1901 - the most
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Main building seen from ,the North.
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northern triangulation in the world, which was accompli-
shed jointly with the Swedish Academy of Scien-
ces.
Before the revolution the Pulkovo Observatory was
the only scientific and higher institution in Russia at which
geodesy was cultivated. Here the military geodesists com-
pleted their training. It was only after the 1917 October
revolution, with the foundation of a series of geodetic
institutions, that its former extensive scientific and educa-
tional activity in geodesy became unnecessary.
Together with the development of astrophysics as a
science in the second half of the last century work in this
field was started at Pulkovo. The Pulkovo astronomers
made a series of pioneer investigations in astrophysics,
contributing considerably to the perfection of its methods
and gave indisputable conviction to its very interesting
results which attracted universal attention.
The beginning of astrophysical investigations can be con-
nected with the observations of solar eclipses to which
Russian astronomers attached great importance since the
days of Lomonossov. From observations of the 1851 solar
eclipse 0. Struve concluded that prominences and the co-
rona are not optical phenomena, as was supposed formerly,
but should be considered as composite parts of the Sun
itself.
In the sixtieth years the Pulkovo Observatory acquired
some astrophysical equipment. P. Rosen and E. Lindemann
made many measurements of the magnitudes of stars,
including variables, with a Miner photometer. In 1876
B. Hasselberg founded an astrophysical laboratory for
which a special building was erected in 1886. Along with
astrophysical observations of celestial bodies Hasselberg
made observations in the laboratory of the emission spectra
of" various elements and chemical compounds. In particu-
lar, the study of the spectra of comets and carbon compounds
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General view from the South;
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led to his publication of the first monograph to be printed
dealing with this problem.
Astrophysics at Pulkovo acquired , which being of practical impor-
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The Ertel transit instrument.
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tance became widely-known as the catalogue of #geode-
tical stars# (this work was headed by N. V. Zimmerman).
In 1.932 the Pulkovo astronomers proposed another collec-
tive undertaking - the observaton of , containing the exact positions and proper
motions of about 20 000 stars uniformly distributed over
the sky. Many astrometrists, especially those of the Stern-
berg Astronomical Institute in Moscow, took part in work-
ing-out the program of the new large catalogue.
An essential feature in this new work is the determi-
nation of the proper motions of the stars by their photo-
graphic reference to galaxies. For the derivation of a uni-
form system of declinations and the determination of the
point of the equator the observations of selected minor
planets are used. Photographic and meridian observations
according' to the program of the