Peter Carl Ludwig Schwarz
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Peter Carl Ludwig Schwarz[1] (Julian, O.S.: 23 May 1822,[1] Danzig-Gdańsk – 17 September 1894, St. George's?, buried in Tartu)(Gregorian, N.S.: 4 June 1822 – 29 September 1894),[2] referred to mostly as Ludwig Schwarz,[2] was a Baltic German astronomer[3] of Imperial Russia, explorer, and professor[1] of astronomy at the University of Dorpat[4] honored with the Konstantin Medal[note 1] of the Imperial Russian Geographical Society.[5] Schwarz also was a recipient of the Demidov Prize[5][note 2] of the Academy of Sciences of St. Petersburg in 1865 for his work in geodesy.[5]
Demidov Prize (1865)
Peter Carl Ludwig Schwarz | |
|---|---|
Professor Ludwig Schwarz, circa 1890 | |
| Born | 4 June 1822 Danzig-Gdańsk |
| Died | 29 September 1894 (aged 72) St. George's? |
| Awards | Konstantin Gold Medal Demidov Prize (1865) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | astronomy, geodesy |
| Institutions | Imperial University of Dorpat |
Palaeoarctic Siberian Asia Expeditions
Following assignment by Friedrich Georg Wilhelm Struve as a field expedition astronomer (1849–1853) to study the Amur River,[5][3] astronomer Schwarz led (1854–1862) the East Siberian Expedition of 1855 which extensively explored unknown and unmapped territory in Eastern Siberia, such as the Turan Range and the North Baikal Highlands.[6][5]
The Siberian expedition went into central Asia, southeastern Asia, and northern China.[5] Some of the routes travelled were as long as 10,000 miles.[5] Utilizing his prior Amur field knowledge of astronomy he would determine geographical positions of certain points (geodesy) for preparation of geographical maps.[5] The information would later be used in planning the construction of the Trans-Siberian Railway systems and others in southeast Asia.
The volumes reporting the results of the expedition were published in 1864.[5] The separate tomes concerning the vegetation and wildlife reports were prepared by the expedition's botanist and zoologist Gustav Radde.
Dorpat Observatory
Ludwig Schwarz served as the Director of Dorpat Observatory[2] (now Tartu Observatory) from 1872[7][note 3] to 1891,[2] succeeding Thomas Clausen who held the position from 1866 to 1872.[7] Upon the retirement of Schwarz from the directorship on 1 September 1891 the position became the responsibility of Grigori Levitski who held it until 1908.[8]
During his tenure in later life he conducted studies of one third of the 10,000 celestial stars visible at Tartu.[5]
Legacy
Radde's warbler, a leaf warbler bird that breeds in Siberia and winters in southeast Asia, bears a scientific name (Phylloscopus schwarzi) that commemorates Schwarz.[9] The bird was described in 1863 by naturalist and fellow explorer Gustav Radde who served in the East Siberian Expedition of 1855 led by Schwarz.[9]
Gallery
Dorpat Observatory. Painting by August Matthias Hagen, father-in-law to Schwarz.
Radde's Warbler (Phylloscopus schwarzi)
Ludwig Schwarz, 1870.
Painting by Julie Wilhelmine Hagen-Schwarz, his wife.
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Works
His publications include:
German:
- Schwarz, Ludwig (1889); Eine Studie auf dem Gebiete der Practischen Astronomie; Dorpat.[10]
- [English: A Study in the Field of Practical Astronomy].
- Schwarz, Ludwig (1887–1893); Beobachtungen, angestellt und herausgegeben von Ludwig Schwarz, Band 17-20; Kaiserliche Universitats-Sternwarte, Dorpat (Jurjew)[11][12]
- [English: Observations made and published from Ludwig Schwarz, Volumes 17-20; Imperial University Observatory].
See also
Notes
- The Konstantin Medal is named after Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolayevich of Russia, the first chairman of the Russian Geographical Society.
- The Demidov Medal/Demidov Prize was an influencing forerunner to the Nobel Prize.
- EMWS issue (1894), p. 317: Scientific News, shows incorrectly 1874.
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