Ambartsumian Victor

Ambartsumian Victor (1908–1996), Armenian astrophysicist, one of the founders of theoretical astrophysics. Academician of the Academy of Sciences of Russia (1953; its Corresponding Member as of 1939), Academician of the Academy of Sciences of Armenia (1943) and its President (1947 – 1993; as of 1993 – its Honorary President), Honorary Academician of the Academy of Sciences of Georgia (1979), Honored Scientist of Georgia (1968). He was born in Tbilisi. In 1928 V. Ambartsumyan graduated from the Leningrad University. He worked in the field of physics of stars and nebulae, stellar astronomy, dynamics of stellar systems and cosmogony of stars and galaxies. Along with Georgian astrophysicist Shalva Gordeladze (1908– 96), he established that certain dark nebulae cause interstellar absorption of light. He discovered the new types of stellar systems – stellar associations – in the galaxy. V. Ambartsumyan was the founder and director of an Astrophysical observatory in Byurakan, Armenia (1946–88). He was the member of various foreign Academies of sciences and scientific organizations. He owned a number of state prizes. In 1982 V. Ambartsumyan was elected an Honorary Citizen of Tbilisi.

V. Ambartsumyan died in Byurakan, Armenia.