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https://doi.org/10.22364/luraksti.zvm.818.16 | 204-225 | PDF

Astronoms un izdevējs Ādolfs Rihters (1856–1919)

Astronomer and Publisher Adolf Richter (1856–1919)

Ilgonis Vilks
Latvijas Universitātes Muzejs
Raiņa bulv. 19, Rīga, LV-1586

Ādolfs Rihters 19. gs. beigās un 20. gs. sākumā bija kalendāru un adrešu grāmatu izdevējs Rīgā, bet viņa galvenās intereses bija saistītas ar astronomiju. Āgenskalnā viņš iekārtoja privātu observatoriju, kas bija labi apgādāta ar astronomiskajiem un meteoroloģiskajiem instrumentiem. Viņš novēroja komētas, planētas, uzliesmojošas zvaigznes, Saules un Mēness aptumsumus, polārblāzmas, noteica precīzo laiku. Ā. Rihters Rīgas vācu avīzēs publicējis daudzus astronomiskus rakstus, aprakstot arī citu tālaika astronomijas amatieru (F. Candera, V. Zlatinska, K. Žiglevica) veiktos novērojumus. 1919. gadā pazudis bez vēsts, bēgot no boļševiku vajāšanām.

Atslēgvārdi: astronomiskie novērojumi, kalendāri, Saules aptumsums, zinātnes popularizācija.

Summary

Adolf Richter (1856–1919) was an amateur astronomer and publisher in Riga at the late 19th century and early 20th century. He was born in Germany but later his family moved to Riga. He published several calenders and address books, for example, Baltische Verkehrs- und Adreßbüch, Kurländisches Adreßbuch, Livländisches Adreßbuch, Rigasches Adreßbuch. However, his main interest was astronomy. He prepared and published an Astronomical Calender for Riga (Adolf Richters Kalender für Riga, 1899–1914). Since 1891, he authored numerous astronomical articles that were published in German newspapers of Riga. He described astronomical observations of comets, planets, Nova Persei 1901, solar and lunar eclipses, aurora borealis. These observations were made by himself or by other astronomy amateurs of that time (Friedrich Zander, Vladimir Zlatinsky, Kārlis Žiglevics). At the very end of the 19th century he established a private astronomical observatory in Riga, well equipped with the astronomical and meteorological instruments. An expedition from Pulkovo observatory observed the total solar eclipse of 1914 here. During World War I, his activities ceased and in 1919 he perished trying to escape from persecution by Bolsheviks.

Keywords: astronomical observations, calendars, science communication, solar eclipse.