Maximilianus Hell (1720-1792) - Munin

and German during the summer of 1761 but poorly distributed, whereas those of Braun,
Krasil‟nikov and Kurganov found their way into the Ephemerides Astronomicae of Hell and
thus became available to the international community of astronomers. 38
The lack of co-ordination and weak publicity characterising Russia‟s participation in the
Venus transit project of 1761 did not persist as the second opportunity approached. As in
Sweden, preparations for the 1769 transit of Venus started in Russia in early 1767. But here –
at least ostensibly – it was the Empress Catherine II (“Catherine the Great”, 1727-1796, ruler
of Russia from 1762) who took the initiative. This Empress has entered history as an
enlightened ruler, energetically promoting literature, art and the sciences. Largely thanks to
her influence, the activities of the Imperial Russian Academy have probably never been so
integrated in European science as was the case during her period as ruler. 39 A decisive factor
in this development was Catherine‟s success in persuading the world-famous Leonhard Euler
(1707-1783) and his family to return to St. Petersburg in 1766, after he had left Russia
25 years earlier following severe conflict within the academy. His oldest son, Johann Albrecht
(Jean Albert) Euler (1734-1800) was appointed Secretary of the Academy and was to play a
vital role as a networker in conjunction with the Venus transit project of 1769. It also appears
that the above-mentioned Rumovskii was influential in planning the 1769 observations.
Although no study that I am aware of has been devoted to Russian Venus transit activities as
such, the recent works of amongst others Georges Dulac and Alexander Moutchnik analyse
aspects of academic life in St. Petersburg circa 1769 and provide in-depth information
concerning at least some of the actors involved. 40
A decisive date in this account is 3 March 1767 (14 March new style), when a letter was
issued by the Empress, addressed to the director of the Imperial Academy in St. Petersburg. In
this letter, Catherine urged immediate action in preparation for the transit of Venus in 1769.
She wished the Academy to make every effort to obtain valuable observations; asked to know
what locations were most suitable and which observers had been elected by the Academy for
this observation; required to be informed of the personnel required, should the construction of
new observatories be necessary; and if the number of astronomers at the Academy should
38 On the report of Lomonosov/Aepinus, see Section II.1.2. The details of the observations of Braun,
Krasil‟nikov and Kurganov were published in Hell 1761a, pp. 92-94.
39 See for example Vucinich 1963 or Madariaga 1998.
40 Dulac 2000 on the role of the secretary of the academy, Johann Albrecht Euler; Moutchnik 2006, pp. 177-232
on the role of the Jesuit Christian Mayer.
- 230 -