Viktor Ambartsumian
Viktor Ambartsumian was an Armenian scientist born in 1908. He pioneered the field of theoretical astrophysics in the Soviet Union, and founded the Armenian Academy of Sciences. After founding the Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory, he discovered stellar associations, which are loose star clusters that are gravitationally unbound yet still come from common origin. At the time, it was unknown whether all the stars in the galaxy were formed or whether it was an ongoing process, and his discoveries helped confirm the latter. He also discovered and conceptualized Active Galactic Nuclei, the idea that galactic centers are volatile, explosive, and dynamic. He is the most renowned Armenian scientist and the first Soviet scientist to be given honorary membership to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
