The book "Eclipse of the Sun" with an autograph and an inscription of the scientist Konstantin Tsiolkovsky in 1887.

The book "Eclipse of the Sun" with an autograph and an inscription

The handwritten inscription includes the text: "I am sending you rare books by K. Tsiolkovsky"

Konstantin Tsiolkovsky is a self—taught Russian and Soviet scientist who developed theoretical issues of cosmonautics, and an esoteric thinker who dealt with philosophical problems of space exploration.

After the 1930s, a peculiar myth about a brilliant universal scientist arose in the USSR around Tsiolkovsky, and this myth spread all over the world, including through philately and science fiction literature. A powerful incentive for studying Tsiolkovsky's achievements was the beginning of the space age, which coincided with his centenary, celebrated in 1957. There are monuments to Tsiolkovsky in Kaluga and Moscow, there is his house museum in Kaluga, there are museums in other cities. In 1954, the Medal named after him was established. Tsiolkovsky. In 1961, a crater on the far side of the Moon was named in honor of the scientist, and in 2015 — a city at the Vostochny cosmodrome under construction.

In addition to his scientific activities, Konstantin Eduardovich was a simple school teacher, he was highly appreciated and respected by his students. He skillfully told and explained the material, never raised his voice at the children and did not give them bad grades — he had his own teaching methodology that helped children to assimilate the acquired knowledge qualitatively and in full. The scientist tried to demonstrate clearly each lesson, which contributed to the consolidation of everything he studied.

Joseph Kleiber is a Russian astronomer and mathematician. In 1887, he took part in the observation of a total solar eclipse. In a small pamphlet "The Eclipse of the Sun on August 7, 1887", which has gone through three editions, Kleiber discusses the causes of the eclipse, about popular beliefs. The text is accompanied by a complete list of provincial and county cities in which it will be possible to observe a total eclipse, as well as the time of the beginning and end of the eclipse in some of the most important cities. The Stargift collection includes a brochure published by the St. Petersburg publishing house Intermediary in 1887.