Friedrich Georg Wilhelm von Struve

Friedrich Georg Wilhelm von Struve (Russian: Vasily Yakovlevich Struve) (April 15, 1793 – November 23, 1864 (Julian calendar: November 11)) was a Baltic-German astronomer from a famous dynasty of astronomers.

Life

He was born at Altona, in what is now Germany, the son of Jacob Struve (1755–1841), and was the second of an entire family of astronomers through five generations. He was the great-grandfather of Otto Struve and the father of Otto Wilhelm von Struve. He was also the grandfather of Hermann Struve, who was Otto Struve's uncle.

Related Topics:
Altona - Germany - Otto Struve - Otto Wilhelm von Struve - Hermann Struve

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In 1808 he entered the University of Tartu in the Russian Empire, where he first studied philology, but soon turned his attention to astronomy. From 1813 to 1820 he taught at the university and observed at Dorpat Observatory in Tartu, and in 1820 became a full professor and director of the observatory.

Related Topics:
1808 - University of Tartu - Russian Empire - Philology - Astronomy - 1813 - 1820 - Dorpat Observatory - Tartu

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Friedrich Georg Wilhelm von Struve remained at Tartu, occupied with research on double stars and geodesy until 1839, when he founded and became director of the new Pulkovo Observatory near St Petersburg. Among other honors, he won the Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society in 1826. He retired in 1861 due to failing health.

Related Topics:
Tartu - Double star - Geodesy - 1839 - Pulkovo Observatory - St Petersburg - Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society - 1826 - 1861

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The asteroid 768 Struveana was named jointly in his honour and that of Otto Wilhelm von Struve and Karl Hermann Struve.

Related Topics:
Asteroid - 768 Struveana - Otto Wilhelm von Struve - Karl Hermann Struve

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