On 80-m to year of life has died the world-famous scientist, astronomer Klim Churyumov.

Klim Churyumov, born February 19, 1937 in Mykolayiv. Was the fourth of eight children, Ivan and Antonina Mikhailovna Curumuy. His father died during the Second world war in 1942.

In 1949 the family Churyumov moved to Kiev. After the seventh grade he entered the Kiev railway College, from which he graduated with honors in 1955.

Then he entered the physical faculty of Kiev state University. T. G. Shevchenko (specialty “physics-astronomy”). In 1960, after it was aimed at the polar geophysical station in the Bay of Tiksi of Yakutia. There he researched the Aurora, earth currents and the ionosphere.

In 1962, returned to Kiev and began to work at the plant “Arsenal”, where he participated in the development of uniform equipment for space rockets and its testing at the Baikonur and Plesetsk.

After graduation from Kyiv state University (specialty “astrophysics”), where his supervisor was Professor Sergei all saints, and remained a research fellow at the Department of astronomy of Kazan University.

Klim Churyumov and Professor Sergei all saints in the Kyiv University Observatory

Watched the comets on a country station of the Kyiv University in village Lisnyky in astronomical expeditions in the mountainous regions of Central Asia, the Caucasus, Siberia, Primorsky Krai, Chukotka and Kamchatka.

In 1969, the University sent an expedition consisting of three people, including Klim Churyumov and Svetlana Gerasimenko, for surveillance of periodic comets in the Alma-ATA astrophysical Institute in.

Svetlana Gerasimenko and Klim Churyumov

In September 1969, along with graduate student Svetlana Gerasimenko at the time of observation of the comet comas Sola made a photo, which turned out to be another comet, called by the name of the discoverers of “Comet Churyumov — Gerasimenko” (67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko). For the discovery of the comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko, he was awarded the medal of Astrosovet USSR Academy of Sciences “For the discovery of new astronomical objects”.

In 1972, Klim Ivanovich defended candidate’s thesis “the Study of comets Ikeya-Seki (1967n), Honda (1968с), Tahoe-Sato-Kosaka (1969) and new short-period comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko based on photographic observations”.

Since 1979 Churyumov member of the International astronomical Union, 1992 - the European astronomical Union and the Ukrainian astronomical Association since 1998 — Professor of the Kiev national University of Taras Shevchenko.

In 1986, Klim Churyumov discovered the second long-period comet, a comet with Prime Minister Vladimir Solodovnikov (Astrophysical Institute named after V. G. Fesenkov, Kazakhstan). It was called the comet Churyumov-Solodovnikov (C/N1 1986 Churyumov-Solodovnikov).

In 1993, the space research Institute of RAS (Moscow) he defended his doctoral thesis on “Evolutionary physical processes in comets”.

In January 2004, by decision of the Presidium of the society “Knowledge” was appointed Director of the scientific-educational center “Kyiv planetarium”.

2 March 2004 from Kourou in French Guiana was launched into space by the European space probe Rosetta (Rosetta). The main objective of probe is to study the comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko, which it reached in 2014, and November 12, 2014 separated from the probe lander Philae has performed a 7-hour rapprochement and carried out a successful landing on the surface of the comet (three landing with two bounces).

On 30 September the European space Agency concluded 12 years, the mission of the space station Rosetta, pitting her with the comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko.

Churyumov published more than 800 scientific works, including 4 monographs and 4 textbooks.

Churyumov, as Chairman of the scientific organizing Committee, organized and hosted fifteen international astronomical conferences. He has supervised eleven PhD theses in physics of comets and the theory and methods of teaching astronomy.

At the initiative of the Churyumov international astronomical Union announced the names, symbols, small planets: “2427 Kobzar” — in honor of T. G. Shevchenko, “2428 kamenyar” — in honor of Ivan Franko, “2431 Skovoroda” — in honor of the Ukrainian philosopher of the XVIII century G. S. Skovoroda, “4868 Kochevie” — in honor of the Kiev national University of Taras Shevchenko, “22616 Bogolyubov” in honor of the physics and mathematican. N. Bogolyubov.

Churyumov was also a writer of children, in particular several collections of verse for children (“Children of the specialty”, “the Kids about animals”, “the Boys on the boat”, “Math for kids” (co-author), “the adventures of Dino Dino”). The author of many popular science articles and books.

In 2005, for the cycle of works “Spectral studies of stars and comets” was awarded the prize of NAS of Ukraine named after M. P. Barabashova. In 2003 was awarded the order “For merits” of III, and in 2009 — II degree.

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