2025/02/05 by V. N. Yershov, Yershov, Vladimir
Engineering · Physics and Astronomy · Social Sciences · #Astronomical Observations and Instrumentation #FOS: Physical sciences #Historical Astronomy and Related Studies #Historical Geography and Cartography #History and Philosophy of Physics (physics.hist-ph) #Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics (astro-ph.IM)
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2502.03583
openalex publication_date 2025/02/05 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
Meridian circles played a fundamental role in astronomy since their invention in 1704. Then, at the end of the XX century, this function had been taken over by space astrometry, when the Hipparcos mission demonstrated the advantages of space astrometry by achieving the milliarcsecond level of accuracy. This historical sketch describes the development of the last meridian circles at Pulkovo Observatory (St. Petersburg) in the last quarter of the XX century.