Pulkovo Observatory's Status in 19th Century Positional Astronomy

Abstract

The most significant basis of the reputation of a scientific organization is the accuracy and influence of its work. From a comparison of values of certain astronomical constants and stellar parallaxes obtained at Pulkovo and elsewhere, the extremely high weight given to the Pulkovo values (e.g. by Newcomb) is further justified in retrospect given the small deviations between Pulkovo values and the “modern” values accepted a century later.