Vasily Fesenkov
Encyclopedia
Vasiliy Grigorievich Fesenkov (January 13, 1889 – March 12, 1972) was a Soviet
Russia
n astrophysicist.
. After graduating from the Kharkov University (1911) he entered the Sorbonne
, where he defended a dissertation for the Doctor of Science degree in 1914. Fesenkov was one of founders of the Russian astrophysical institute (1923). It was later renamed to Sternberg Astronomical Institute
, where he worked as a director in 1936 - 1939. In 1935 Fesenkov was elected an Academician of the USSR Academy of Sciences. He was the first to make a study of Zodiacal light
using photometry
, and suggested a theory of its dynamics.
He founded the Alma-Ata
(now Almaty) astrophysical observatory
in 1946 and was its director until his retirement in 1964. Fesenkov was also a member of the Kazakhstan Academy of Sciences
.
He worked on cosmogony
, planet
ary and solar system
astronomy. In 1947 he travelled to the site of the Tunguska event
and estimated the mass and orbit of the impact body. He did the same for the Sikhote-Alin Meteorite
that fell in 1947.
Fesenkov was awarded three Orders of Lenin
, Order of the Red Banner
and various medals. The lunar crater Fesenkov
is named after him, as is a crater on Mars.
A minor planet
2286 Fesenkov
discovered in 1977 by Soviet
astronomer Nikolai Stepanovich Chernykh
is named after him.
He died in Moscow
.
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n astrophysicist.
Biography
He was born in NovocherkasskNovocherkassk
Novocherkassk is a city in Rostov Oblast, Russia, located on the right bank of the Tuzlov River and on the Aksay River. Population: 169,039 ; 170,822 ; 178,000 ; 123,000 ; 81,000 ; 52,000 ....
. After graduating from the Kharkov University (1911) he entered the Sorbonne
University of Paris
The University of Paris was a university located in Paris, France and one of the earliest to be established in Europe. It was founded in the mid 12th century, and officially recognized as a university probably between 1160 and 1250...
, where he defended a dissertation for the Doctor of Science degree in 1914. Fesenkov was one of founders of the Russian astrophysical institute (1923). It was later renamed to Sternberg Astronomical Institute
Sternberg Astronomical Institute
The Sternberg Astronomical Institute , also known as GAISh , is a research institution in Moscow, Russia, a division of Moscow State University. The institute is named after astronomer Pavel Karlovich Shternberg.The asteroid 14789 GAISH was named in its honour.-External links:*...
, where he worked as a director in 1936 - 1939. In 1935 Fesenkov was elected an Academician of the USSR Academy of Sciences. He was the first to make a study of Zodiacal light
Zodiacal light
Zodiacal light is a faint, roughly triangular, whitish glow seen in the night sky which appears to extend up from the vicinity of the sun along the ecliptic or zodiac. Caused by sunlight scattered by space dust in the zodiacal cloud, it is so faint that either moonlight or light pollution renders...
using photometry
Photometry (astronomy)
Photometry is a technique of astronomy concerned with measuring the flux, or intensity of an astronomical object's electromagnetic radiation...
, and suggested a theory of its dynamics.
He founded the Alma-Ata
Almaty
Almaty , also known by its former names Verny and Alma-Ata , is the former capital of Kazakhstan and the nation's largest city, with a population of 1,348,500...
(now Almaty) astrophysical observatory
Observatory
An observatory is a location used for observing terrestrial or celestial events. Astronomy, climatology/meteorology, geology, oceanography and volcanology are examples of disciplines for which observatories have been constructed...
in 1946 and was its director until his retirement in 1964. Fesenkov was also a member of the Kazakhstan Academy of Sciences
Kazakhstan Academy of Sciences
Kazakhstan Academy of Sciences was founded in 1946 as a state institution that joins active members , corresponding members, and leading scientists of Kazakhstan...
.
He worked on cosmogony
Cosmogony
Cosmogony, or cosmogeny, is any scientific theory concerning the coming into existence or origin of the universe, or about how reality came to be. The word comes from the Greek κοσμογονία , from κόσμος "cosmos, the world", and the root of γίνομαι / γέγονα "to be born, come about"...
, planet
Planet
A planet is a celestial body orbiting a star or stellar remnant that is massive enough to be rounded by its own gravity, is not massive enough to cause thermonuclear fusion, and has cleared its neighbouring region of planetesimals.The term planet is ancient, with ties to history, science,...
ary and solar system
Solar System
The Solar System consists of the Sun and the astronomical objects gravitationally bound in orbit around it, all of which formed from the collapse of a giant molecular cloud approximately 4.6 billion years ago. The vast majority of the system's mass is in the Sun...
astronomy. In 1947 he travelled to the site of the Tunguska event
Tunguska event
The Tunguska event, or Tunguska blast or Tunguska explosion, was an enormously powerful explosion that occurred near the Podkamennaya Tunguska River in what is now Krasnoyarsk Krai, Russia, at about 7:14 a.m...
and estimated the mass and orbit of the impact body. He did the same for the Sikhote-Alin Meteorite
Sikhote-Alin Meteorite
Sikhote-Alin is an iron meteorite that fell in 1947 on the Sikhote-Alin Mountains in eastern Siberia. This fall is unique in the history of meteorites. Though large iron meteorite falls had been witnessed previously and fragments recovered, never before in recorded history had a fall of this...
that fell in 1947.
Fesenkov was awarded three Orders of Lenin
Order of Lenin
The Order of Lenin , named after the leader of the Russian October Revolution, was the highest decoration bestowed by the Soviet Union...
, Order of the Red Banner
Order of the Red Banner
The Soviet government of Russia established the Order of the Red Banner , a military decoration, on September 16, 1918 during the Russian Civil War...
and various medals. The lunar crater Fesenkov
Fesenkov (lunar crater)
Fesenkov is a lunar impact crater on the far side of the Moon. It is located to the east-southeast of the prominent crater Tsiolkovskiy, and less than a crater diameter to the north of Stark....
is named after him, as is a crater on Mars.
A minor planet
Minor planet
An asteroid group or minor-planet group is a population of minor planets that have a share broadly similar orbits. Members are generally unrelated to each other, unlike in an asteroid family, which often results from the break-up of a single asteroid...
2286 Fesenkov
2286 Fesenkov
2286 Fesenkov is a main-belt asteroid discovered on July 14, 1977 by N. S. Chernykh at the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory.- External links :*...
discovered in 1977 by Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
astronomer Nikolai Stepanovich Chernykh
Nikolai Stepanovich Chernykh
Nikolay Stepanovich Chernykh was a Soviet and Russian astronomer.Chernykh was born in the city of Usman' in Voronezh Oblast...
is named after him.
He died in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
.