Friedrich Georg Wilhelm Struve

Friedrich Georg Wilhelm von Struve was born on April 15, 1793 in Altona, Germany to Jacob Struve and Maria Emerentia. His father was a German-Russian astronomer who inspired Friedrich to in his studies. His mother was the daughter of a local pastor. Studying at University of Dorpat, Struve studied philology at University of Dorpoat and later showed interest in astronomy. He became second in a dynasty of astronomers of over five generations by becoming a professor of astronomy and mathematics.  Later, Struve superintended a project of construction for a new observatory near St. Petersberg and he later became the director of the observatory, which was named Pulkovo Observatory. The Pulkovo Observatory is still open to visitation today in St. Petersberg, Germany. Having a particular interest in double stars, Struve conducted a list in 1827 of all the known double stars observed. Struve observed double stars using a 9.5" refractor and the Dorpat meridian circle from the northern coast of Norway. He included in his monumental work: Stellarum duplicium et multiplicium mensurae micrometricae.  Struve based his work off of earlier measurements of double stars observed and calculated by astronomers William Herschel and John Herschel. In 1864 Struve died of failing health at 71 years old and he was buried in St. Petersberg.