V. P. Engelgardt Astronomical Observatory

scientific research institution of the V. I. Ul’ianov-Lenin University of Kazan.

The observatory was founded in 1901, 20 km west of Kazan, on the basis of equipment which shortly before that had been donated to the University of Kazan by the Russian astronomer V. P. Engel’gardt. During the years of Soviet power it was considerably enlarged. The fundamental trends of the observatory’s scientific research are meridian as-trometry, study of the variability of geographic latitude and variations in the direction of gravity, studies on the rotation and shape of the moon, and study of variable stars, the structure of the galaxy, and the radar location of meteors. On the basis of extensive observation material obtained at the V. P. Engel’gardt Astronomical Observatory, a number of star catalogs have been compiled, studies of the physical libra-tion of the moon have been conducted, and charts of the lunar relief have been drawn up. The distribution of meteoric matter in space has also been studied. The observatory’s principal instruments are a meridian circle, a zenith telescope, a heliometer, a long-focus horizontal telescope with a coelostat, a 38-cm Schmidt telescope, a 40-cm astrograph, a 35-cm Maksutov meniscus telescope with ultraviolet optics, a 48-cm reflector with a stellar electrophotometer, and radar locating units. The library of the observatory contains more than 60,000 volumes. The observatory has published Izvestiia since 1908 and Biulleten’ since 1934.