Levitsky Grigory Vasilyevich General data:
08.11.1852 - 26.10.1917
Place of birth: Kharkiv city, Kharkiv province, Russian Empire
Studied in: St. Petersburg Imperial University (since 1991 St. Petersburg University ) (?-1874); Imperial Kharkiv University, Kharkiv province, Russian Empire (since 1999 V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University, Kharkiv region, Ukraine) (1870-1871); Mining Institute, St. Petersburg, Russian Empire (3 2016 Saint-Petersburg Mining University, Russian Federation) (1871-?);
Key interests: history of astronomy, solar physics, photographic astrometry, astronomy, seismology, stellar systems. ScD Thesis: About the definition of orbits of binary stars (1879 Pulkovo Observatory, St. Petersburg);
Biography:
He was born on October 27 (according to the Julian calendar or November 8 on the Gregorian calendar) in 1852 in the city of Kharkiv of Kharkiv province of the Russian Empire in the family of a lawyer.
It probably comes from the Polish-Ukrainian aristocratic family, which went to service in Russia Empire.
After graduating with a gold medal of the 3rd Kharkiv Gymnasium, he entered the Physical and Chemical Department of the Physics and Mathematics Faculty of the Imperial Kharkiv University in 1870. In 1871 he moved to the Mining Institute in St. Petersburg.
In 1874 he graduated from the St. Petersburg Imperial University with a degree in candidate. After studying, he worked at the Pulkovo Observatory initially as a freelance astronomer, and sice 1876, as a calculator, while being a fellow at the St. Petersburg University for preparing for a degree.
In 1879, he defended a dissertation "On the Definition of Double-sighted Orbits" at the Pulkovo Observatory, and received a Master's degree.
During 1879-1894 he worked at the Kharkov University, first as a private assistant professor, and then an extraordinary professor since 1884 and head of the astronomical office (in 1880 he was elected as a full-time assistant professor at the Kharkiv University). In 1888 he founded the permanent astronomical observatory of the Imperial Kharkiv University with a separate house. It was the year when the astronomical position of the new observatory was precisely defined, the construction of which was begun as early as 1883. In the summer of 1884, the astronomical office was transferred to the Garden of the Imperial University of Kharkiv (now the Shevchenko Park). Here, in a special slow manner, a meridian circle was established, for Speaking at the Repsold firm in Hamburg, a house with a basement for the electric clock of the Hirra system was built in two years, a Merz refractor was installed in the tower with a rotating metal dome. He was one of the first to use horizontal pendulums in seismology. He studied the micro-oscillations of the earth's crust and tried to find a criterion for forecasting earthquakes.
According to other sources, in 1890 prof. G.V. Levitsky found the remains of the foundation of the old observatory and was in the middle of its pillar, and in place of the latter placed a new cement, indicating in it the general center of the foundations of the tower and the pillar.
G. V. Levytsky completed the calculation of the results of the telegraphic determination of the difference in the longitudes of Nicolayev city and Kharkov city, which he performed in 1889 together with the director of the Mykolaiv Maritime Observatory I. E. Kortazzi.
In May 1891, H.V. Levytskyi together with M.M. УEvdokimov observed the passage of Mercury across the Sun's disk with the help of a three-inch Mertz refractor, and later they studied a total eclipse of the Moon using three- and six-inch instruments.
Together with his students, Prof. H. V. Levytsky performed the geodesic connection of the new university observatory with the location of the temporary observatory, arranged by prof. A. P. Shidlovskyi in 1845.
Also, with the participation of M.M. Yevdokymov and Y.Y. Sykora, Professor G.V. Levytskyi measured the focal lengths of the lenses of various observatory optical instruments, which were performed using the J. Gauss method.
In 1893 he, together with Sikora I. I., began regular observation of various manifestations of solar activity in the Kharkiv Observatory. Determination of the numbers of Wolf, the position of spots and prominences was conducted until 1900.
The University Council noted his contribution to the development of practical and theoretical astronomy by awarding him in 1898 the degree of Doctor of Astronomy and Mathematics (Doctor honoris causa).
In August 1898, a bright stream of meteors was observed by astronomer in the Bratenytsia village of Kharkiv province,
Since 1894 he worked as a professor at Yuryev University (now Tartu city, the Republic of Estonia). During 1898-1908 he was the director of the Observatory of the University of Yuriev city.
He conducted observations of sunspots, studied the methods of determining the double-sighted orbits, and studied microwaves of the earth's surface with the help of the horizontal pendulums one of the first installed in the Russian Empire (according to some data, the championship belongs to I. E. Kartazzi)- first in Kharkiv in 1893, and then at the Yuriev Observatory. The works of the scientist also apply to the history of Ukrainian science, in particular the history of the Kharkiv and Yuriev astronomical observatories. Participated in the technical improvement of the horizontal pendulum Reber-Pashvitz.
During 1903-1905 he was the rector of Yuriev University.
January 1, 1895 received the status of a true state councilor, and January 1, 1914 became secret counsel.
During 1908-1911, he was the guardian of Vilna, and during the years 1911-1914, the Warsaw educational districts. Since 1915 he taught at the Women's Pedagogical Institute in Petrograd (now St. Petersburg).
During 1915-1918 he was chairman of the Russian Astronomical Society. He was a member of the Academic Committee on Elementary Education of the Central Directorate of the Ministry of Public Education.
For an excellent and diligent service he was awarded the orders of St. Anna 1 st, Volodymyr 2 st, Stanislav 1 st degree.
October 13 (according to the Julian calendar or October 26, according to the Gregorian calendar), died in 1917 (according to some data in 1918).
He was married and had six daughters married.
His name is called the small planet 20334 Glewitzky
Main publications:
1. Левицкий Г. В. Астрономы Юрьевского университета с 1802 по 1894 г. Юрьев: тип. К. Маттисена, 1899. — 224 с.
2. Левицкий Г. В. Астрономы и астрономические обсерватории Харьковского университета с 1807 по 1842 год.— Уч. зап. Харьк. ун-та, 1893.
3. Левицкий Г. В. Астрономы и астрономические обсерватории Харьковского университета с 1843 по 1878 год.— Уч. зап. Харьк. ун-та, 1894.
4. Левицкий Г.В. Астрономы и астрономическія обсерваторіи Х. У. отъ 1808 по 1842 г. Записки Харьковскаго Университета. 1844. H. 2.
Sources:
1 Колчинский И. Г., Корсунь А. А., Родригес М. Г. Астрономы: Биографический справочник. — Киев: Наук. думка, 1986.—510 с.-С.187
2 Плеяда перших. Київ: Академперіодика, 2004. – С.17
3 astronomers.ru
4 Гайдай Л. Історія України в особах, термінах, назвах і поняттях.- Луцьк: Вежа, 2000.-С.369-370
