July 2 marked the 220th anniversary of Ivan Simonov (1794-1855), prominent Russian astronomer, corresponding member of the Imperial Academy of Sciences, distinguished professor and rector of Kazan Imperial University, member of the expedition discovered Antarctica.

The History Museum and Department of Astronomy and Satellite  Geodesy of KFU paid tribute to the scientist through a flower-laying ceremony at his simulated tomb  in Kizichesky Monastery. In Soviet times the monastery cemetery was destroyed. In 2010 the University Museum director Stella Pisareva initiated fixing a marble slab on the simulated Simonov?s grave site.  

Ivan Simonov was born in Astrakhan. Having finished Astrakhan Grammar School, he entered Kazan University in 1809 and successfully graduated in 1812. He attended the lectures of famous Martin Bartels, Professor of physics and math, and astronomer Josef Littrow. As a student, Ivan Simonov started studying practical astronomy, observing a Great Comet together with Nikolay Lobachevsky in 1811. Leaving the University Josef Littrow recommended a young talented astronomer Ivan Simonov, whose researches were made at the Department of theoretical and Practical Astronomy

In 1819-1821 Ivan Simonov was invited by the Academy of Sciences and participated in the 1st Around-the-World Expedition named after F.Bellingshausen and M.Lazarev that opened the 6th continent of Antarctica. Ivan Simonov was the only scientist in that expedition; he conducted astronomical and geographical monitoring, and was one of the first researchers in Russia who studied Eath's magnetism.