von Struve, Otto Wilhelm

Otto Wilhelm von Struve (May 7, 1819 ““ April 14, 1905) was a Russian astronomer of Baltic German descent. He is one of many renowned astronomers in his family.

Struve was born the son of Friedrich Georg Wilhelm von Struve, in Tartu, Estonia. He had two sons, Hermann and Ludwig Struve.

Otto Willhelm von Struve assisted his director father at the Pulkovo Observatory and succeeded him as director until 1889. He also continued his father’s footsteps in discovering double stars. A 30-inch refractor was installed in 1885 at Pulkovo. With this, he observed satellites of Uranus and Neptune, as well as measured the rings around Saturn.

The Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society was awarded to him in 1850. He died in Karlsruhe, Grand Duchy of Baden in 1905.

He shares the honor of a named asteroid, asteroid 768 Struveana, jointly with his father, Friedrich Georg Wilhelm Struve and Karl Hermann Struve.