Nikolai Dmitrievich Moiseev

Born Dec. 3 (16), 1902, in Perm’; died Dec. 6, 1955, in Moscow. Soviet astronomer specializing in celestial mechanics. Member of the CPSU from 1943.

Moiseev graduated from Moscow University in 1924 and was appointed a professor there in 1935. He developed qualitative methods in celestial mechanics, introducing generalizing trajectory characteristics. He obtained important results on the theory of secular and long-period perturbations (using averaged, including interpolation-averaged, theoretical models that he introduced), the theory of dynamic cosmogony, and stability theory; he also used these theories in applied sciences. Moiseev was also interested in theoretical gravimetry and the history of mechanics. He was awarded the Order of Lenin, three other orders, and several medals.