Following assignment by Friedrich Georg Wilhelm Struve as a field expedition astronomer to study the Amur River, astronomer Schwarz led the East Siberian Expedition of 1855 which extensively explored unknown and unmapped territory in Eastern Siberia, such as the Turan Range. The Siberian expedition went into central Asia, southeastern Asia, and northern China. Some of the routes travelled were as long as 10,000 miles. Utilizing his prior Amur field knowledge of astronomy he would determine geographical positions of certain points for preparation of geographical maps. The information would later be used in planning the construction of the Trans-Siberian Railway systems and others in southeast Asia. The volumes reporting the results of the expedition were published in 1864. The separate tomes concerning the vegetation and wildlife reports were prepared by the expedition's botanist and zoologistGustav Radde.
Ludwig Schwarz served as the Director of Dorpat Observatory from 1872 to 1891, succeeding Thomas Clausen who held the position from 1866 to 1872. Upon the retirement of Schwarz from the directorship on 1 September 1891 the position became the responsibility of Grigori Levitski who held it until 1908. During his tenure in later life he conducted studies of one third of the 10,000 celestial stars visible at Tartu.
Legacy
, a leaf warbler bird that breeds in Siberia and winters in southeast Asia, bears a scientific name that commemorates Schwarz. The bird was described in 1863 by naturalist and fellow explorer Gustav Radde who served in the East Siberian Expedition of 1855 led by Schwarz.
Gallery
Works
His publications include: German:
Schwarz, Ludwig ; Eine Studie auf dem Gebiete der Practischen Astronomie; Dorpat.
Schwarz, Ludwig ; Beobachtungen, angestellt und herausgegeben von Ludwig Schwarz, Band 17-20; Kaiserliche Universitats-Sternwarte, Dorpat
Citations
Books
English:
Great Britain, India Office, A Catalogue of Manuscript and Printed Reports, Field Books, Memoirs, Maps, etc., of the Indian Surveys, Deposited in the Map Room of the India Office. See Amur map catalogue entry appearing in the Asiatic Russia section, p. 511.
SCTLRAS, Supplementary Catalogue of The Library of the Royal Astronomical Society, June 1884 – 1898, Royal Astronomical Society, Burlington House, London; Spottiswoode & Co., London.
MNRAS, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Volume 48, Burlington House, London; Spottiswoode & Co., London ; entry as: Dorpat, Kaiserliche Universitats-Sternwarte, Band xvii. Angestellt und herausgegeben von Ludwig Schwarz.
. November 1894 issue. United Kingdom.
Outlook,, 10 November 1894 issue, necrology entry for October 3.
