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Michael VashakidzeSoviet astronomer
Date of Birth: 28.08.1909
Country:  Georgia |
Content:
Life and Education
Born in the village of Didi-Djikanshi, Georgia, Vasil Papaevski was a renowned Soviet astronomer who made significant contributions to the field. He earned his degree from Tbilisi State University in 1932.
Academic Career and Research
Vasil Papaevski joined the Abastumani Astrophysical Observatory in 1936 and later taught astronomy at Tbilisi University, becoming a professor in 1954. His research focused on using photometric and polarimetric methods to study stars, the interstellar medium, and galaxies.
Notable Contributions
Papaevski developed the Vashakidze-Oort method (1937) to determine the spatial density of stars. In the 1940s and 1950s, he studied galactic absorption of light by analyzing the color indices of several hundred galaxies, establishing a correlation between color index and galaxy type. He also compiled catalogs of galaxy color indices.
Furthermore, Papaevski investigated the polarization properties of the solar corona during total solar eclipses. He attempted to detect the polarization of light from galaxies between 1953 and 1955. Independently of V. A. Dombrovsky, he discovered the polarization of radiation from the Crab Nebula in 1954, highlighting the significant polarization of its individual features.
Legacy
Papaevski devised a straightforward method for estimating the temperature and density of the shells of novae when forbidden lines appear in their spectra. In recognition of his contributions, a crater on the Moon is named after him.
