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Orbiting Astronomical Observatory

(Encyclopedia)Orbiting Astronomical Observatory (OAO), series of four orbiting observatories (see observatory, orbiting) launched between 1966 and 1972 by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to...

Brown, John Carter

(Encyclopedia)Brown, John Carter, 1797–1874, American book collector and philanthropist, b. Providence, R.I.; son of Nicholas Brown. In about 1840 he began collecting books printed before 1800 relating to America...

Santa Claus

(Encyclopedia)Santa Claus: see Nicholas, Saint. ...

Paskevich, Ivan Feodorovich

(Encyclopedia)Paskevich, Ivan Feodorovich ēvänˈ fyôˈdərəvĭch pəskyĕˈvĭch [key], 1782–1856, Russian army officer and administrator. He fought in the Napoleonic Wars, was created count of Erivan after c...

Guchkov, Aleksandr Ivanovich

(Encyclopedia)Guchkov, Aleksandr Ivanovich əlyĭksänˈdər ēväˈnəvĭch go͝ochˈkôf [key], 1862–1936, Russian political leader. A prominent businessman, during the 1905 revolution he helped found the Octob...

Rubinstein, Anton Grigoryevich

(Encyclopedia)Rubinstein, Anton Grigoryevich əntônˈ grîgôrˈyəvĭch ro͞oˈbĭnstīn [key], 1829–94, Russian pianist, composer, and educator. As a piano virtuoso he was celebrated for his perfect technique ...

Witte, Count Sergei Yulyevich

(Encyclopedia)Witte, Count Sergei Yulyevich syĭrgāˈ yo͞oˈlyĭvĭch vĭtˈə [key], 1849–1915, Russian premier. A railway administrator, he became minister of communications (1892) and minister of finance (18...

Aristarchus of Samos

(Encyclopedia)Aristarchus of Samos ărˌĭstärˈkəs, sāˈmŏs [key], fl. c.310 b.c.–c.230 b.c., Greek astronomer and mathematician of the Alexandrian school. He is said to have been the first to propose a heli...

Brown, Moses

(Encyclopedia)Brown, Moses, 1738–1836, American manufacturer and philanthropist, b. Providence, R.I. He was associated with his brothers John, Joseph, and Nicholas in the family's mercantile activities before est...

Maria Feodorovna

(Encyclopedia)Maria Feodorovna märēˈä fyôˈdərəvnə [key], 1847–1928, czarina of Russia, consort of Alexander III and mother of Nicholas II. Originally named Dagmar, she was the daughter of Christian IX of...