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March 29
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A joint Armenian – Georgian astronomical colloquium on unstable stars and celestial objects, and devoted to the 90th anniversary of Academician Lyudvik Mirzoyan, took place in Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory of the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia.

The tradition of Armenian – Georgian joint scientific meetings had been established back in the 1970s, and by the initiative of Academician Victor Hambartsumian. Both Victor Hambartsumian and Lyudvik Mirzoyan have played a great role in the development of astronomy in Georgia and, due to their efforts, several joint Armenian – Georgian scientific programs had been implemented. They have educated several generations of Georgian astronomers, guiding their scientific research works. The above colloquium was the 14th in turn.

To note, this year in May—and on the occasion of the 90th anniversary of prominent astrophysicist, Academician of the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia, First Armenian Member of the French International Academy of Astronautics, Professor, Honored Scientist of the Armenian Soviet Republic Lyudvik Mirzoyan—the presentation of the book entitled Life Devoted to Byurakan, written by his daughter Nune Mirzoyan, took place at the hall of the Presidium of the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia.

Lyudvik Mirzoyan is one of the best representatives of the first generation of Armenian astronomers who had founded Byurakan Observatory and the Byurakan direction in science. For thirty years he had been the assistant of Victor Hambartsumian at Byurakan Observatory and has a huge input in formulation of the modern understanding of star formation, thus becoming the pioneer in Armenian observational astronomy.

The book presents Lyudvik Mirzoyan`s life and scientific activities, which are directly connected with the foundation and establishment of Byurakan Observatory. The memories of his colleagues, students and contemporaries are included in the book. His valuable contribution to Armenian science is widely acknowledged.

The name of Academician Lyudvik Mirzoyan is closely connected with Byurakan Observatory and the development of astronomy, as well as with the whole history of science.

Mirzoyan`s biography has reflected the whole controversial historical period, when loftiness and the tragic were next to each other.

 Lyudvik Mirzoyan was born in 1923. He had shown great interest toward studies from early childhood, finishing school with excellent results, he had entered the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics of Yerevan State University. But his studies were interrupted by the Second World War and he was obliged to leave the university for military service.

The happy childhood ended for him in 1930, when his father Vasili Mirzoyan, a repatriate from Maku, was arrested and killed. Years later, however, the accusations against his father were proved to be false. But before this happened, Lyudvik had to endure the nightmare.

The 15-year-old boy had become the only man of the family and he had to take care of his mother and two small sisters. Nevertheless, his aspiration for studies was so strong that after finishing school he continued studies at the university, parallel to working as a laborer. According to the memories of his sister Nina Garibjanian-Mirzoyan, he was serving together with Hungarian and German military captives, building the Victory Bridge in Yerevan, since Stalin’s regime did not trust those whose parents were arrested.

After the war he passed all exams as external student and, in 1947, he graduated from the university with honors. The same year he attracted the attention of Academician Victor Hambartsumian, who was looking for students with outstanding abilities for the newly established Byurakan Observatory. Hambartsumian suggested him to continue his studies under his scientific guidance, and at the same time, to work at the observatory, participating in its establishment. In 1951, Lyudvik Mirzoyan was granted the scientific degree of Doctor of Astronomy.

In 1953, Mirzoyan was appointed Scientific Secretary of the Observatory, and since 1959, and for almost thirty years, he was the deputy of Victor Hambartsumian, Director of Byurakan Observatory. He has worked productively for all those years, both as an organizer of science and an administrator.

This was the period when Byurakan Observatory had an impetuous development and serious scientific achievements, becoming one of the leading observatories and scientific centers in the world. It deservedly became the symbol of Armenian science and the “business card” of Armenia.

Lyudvik Mirzoyan was one of the first students of Hambartsumian. Subsequently, he himself became the teacher of all generations of Armenian astronomers, giving lectures at Yerevan State University for almost half a century. Many of his foreign postgraduate students today continue working at a variety of foreign observatories and scientific centers and remember their teacher with deep gratitude.

His sustainable and fundamental scientific activity was aimed to develop and prove the revolutionary ideas put forward by Academician Hambartsumian and Byurakan Scientific School. Mirzoyan`s research work was devoted to the study of the processes of star formations and young stars.

He is the author of numerous scientific monographs, 200 scientific papers, and many popular scientific articles and books. 

Since 1965, Mirzoyan was Deputy Chief-Editor of the international scientific journal Astrofizika (editor–in-chief was Victor Hambartsumian), and since 1988, he became its editor-in-chief. Academician Mirzoyan was also a member of the Scientific Editorial Council of the Soviet Armenian Encyclopedia and the author of most of the astronomical articles in this oeuvre.

During his years in office, Byurakan Observatory had a wide cooperation with numerous leading observatories and scientific centers of the world, many mutual and long-term visits were held, and they favored the image of Armenian science and scientists.

He was decorated with a number of medals, among them the medal of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences for educating a generation of high professionals for the Bulgarian observatory.

Lyudvik Mirzoyan`s daughters Nune and Anahit and his son Ara remember him as a kind and caring, but at the same time a very strict father. He liked classical music; he was interested in linguistic issues, and was a member in the Committee for Terminology of Armenia. He had created many scientific terminologies in Armenian in the fields of astrophysics, physics, and mathematics.

When Lyudvik Mirzoyan was elected member of the French International Academy of Astronautics—and being the first Armenian—and an advisor for the Paris Institute of Astronomy, he learned French in three months.

Fourteen years have passed since the passing of this honorable man. It is time to name a street in Yerevan and a street in Byurakan after Lyudvik Mirzoyan.

It will be fair if the name of this patriotic scientist is also physically present in those two places where his spiritual presence still exists.  

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