Russian astronomical institutions, 1917–1922
This essay analyzes the distinctive period in the development of Russian astronomy during the radical social changes tied to the revolution of 1917. The turbulent social conditions produced ambivalent and often contradictory effects on the disciplinary community, including frequent changes in research priorities and academic positions of the leading experts. The author shows how the individual reactions, choices and strategies of scientists in an age of grand social change resulted in profound institutional transformation in astronomical science.