Karl Knorre, the first astronomer of Nikolaev Observatory (on the occasion of his bicentenary)

Karl Friedrich Knorre (1801–1883) was the son of Ernst Knorre, an astronomy professor at Dorpat university. During his education at Dorpat university, he became acquainted with Wilhelm Struve, the future director of Pulkovo observatory. Because of Knorre's passion for astronomy, Struve recommended him to the post of director of the planned naval observatory in Nikolaev. From its foundation in 1821, Karl Knorre was director of the Nikolaev Naval (and later Astronomical) Observatory. He carried out star position observations with the meridian circle, worked as an astronomy instructor for sea navigators, compiled the fifth section of the star charts of the Berlin Academy of Sciences and lead all hydrographic determinations on the Azov and Black seas. In 1871, Karl Nikolaev Observatory, and moved to Berlin.