Kārlis Šteins

Kārlis Šteins ( _ru. Карл Августович Штейнс) (October 13 1911 in Kazan, Russian Empire - April 4 1983) was a Latvian and Soviet astronomer and populariser of this science. In 1933 he discovered an asteroid and named it 1284 Latvia; this is the first minor planet to bear a Latvia-related name. In 1925 finished the Riga 2nd Secondary school. In 1929 started the studies in University of Latvia, the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Science. In 1934 he graduated from the University of Latvia. In 1933 was practicing in Krakow, Poland at Krakow Astronomical Observatory under supervision of Tadeusz Banahiewicz. Continues to work there till 1936. In Krakow Observatory K.Steins calculated an orbit of asteroid 1933 OP=QP. K.Steins named it 1284 Latvia; this is the first minor planet to bear a Latvia-related name.Since 1951 he worked at this University of Latvia as professor at department of Theoretical Physics. Since 1956 – associate professor (docent), since 1966 – professor. Since 1958 – member of IAU, since 1967 – Member of Astronomy council of USSR Academy of Science.

K.Steins has enriched the astronomy with the research in cosmogony, celestial mechanics and problems of precise time. He has over 120 publications. Ph.D. degree was obtained in Pulkovo Observatory in 1963 by defending the thesis on Evolution of comet orbits. Asteroid 2867 Šteins discovered in 1969 by Soviet astronomer Nikolai Stepanovich Chernykh, and imaged by the Rosetta spacecraft in 2008, is named in honor of Šteins. [cite book | last = Schmadel | first = Lutz D. | coauthors = | title = Dictionary of Minor Planet Names | pages = p. 235 | edition = 5th | year = 2003 | publisher = Springer Verlag | location = New York | url = http://books.google.com/books?id=KWrB1jPCa8AC&pg=PA235&dq=2867+Steins+1969+VC&sig=ACfU3U1Dm6DTGkdJ4OeCoB8cfR5TtgBuGg | id = ISBN 3540002383] [ru icon [http://www.astronet.ru/db/msg/1219766 Karl Avgustovich Šteins] ]

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