PREDNASAJUCI / LECTURER :

Vojtech Rušin

(1) Astronomical Institute, Slovak Academy of Sciences,
059 60 Tatranská Lomnica

NAZOV / TITLE :

Was M. R. Štefánik an astronomer?

ABSTRAKT / ABSTRACT :

Small in stature, sickly, great in spirit, and a short in his life. He is
characterized as an astronomer, traveler, photographer, meteorologist,
diplomat, minister, general of the French army (he obtained citizenship
in 1912) and co-founder of Czechoslovakia (1918), while he was a decisive
figure in its creation (along with Masaryk and Beneš). Is it even possible
for a person to master so many tasks in 39 years of life? I will try to
briefly put his versatile activity in perspective, saying that astronomy,
his diligence and talent were behind everything. Štefánik received
a doctorate from the Faculty of Philosophy of Charles-Francis University
in Prague (1904), as an astronomer. In 1905-1906 he worked at the observatory
in Meudon near Paris (observed also at Mt. Blanc observatory) and, thanks to
the then director of the observatory, Prof. Janssen, he became acquainted
with the social elite of the political and scientific world in Paris. In the
years 1905-1912 he published 13 scientific papers, in 1910 he submitted
a patent for color photography (it was accepted in 1911), built a temporary
observatory in Tahiti (1910/1911), improved several instruments. At his
suggestion, the French government (1914) approved the construction of a large
observatory in Tahiti (the instruments were purchased or borrowed), which was
to coordinate the intended observatories in Switzerland, North Africa
(Algeria/Morocco) and French Indochina (Vietnam). He was responsible for
the establishment of a meteorological service for the French military air force.
And, at the same time, he also carried out the non-astronomical activity
mentioned above. After the war, he wanted to devote himself to his love,
astronomy only, but unfortunately ...
     With his work, he proved what he had told his colleague, consciously or
unconsciously, in his lecture "Astronomy, the Queen of Sciences" on
March 9, 1906, " … (has) enormous importance in practical life!"