Levitsky Grigory Vasilyevich 
(27.10.(08.11).1852–13(26).10.1918)

Russian astronomer. 
Born in Kharkov, in the family of a lawyer. After graduating from the Kharkov gymnasium, he entered the Kharkov University, in 1871 he moved to the Mining Institute in St. Petersburg, then to St. Petersburg University, after which he was left with him to prepare for a professorship. 
In 1876–1879 Levitsky worked at the Pulkovo Observatory, first as a supernumerary astronomer, and then as a calculator. In 1879 he defended his thesis "On the determination of the orbits of double stars", received a master's degree and was appointed first as an associate professor at Kharkov University in the department of astronomy and geodesy, and from 1884 for ten years he held the position of professor at this university. 
Levitsky did a lot for the construction and equipment of the Kharkov Observatory. He organized systematic observations of sunspots in it, established a meridian circle, studied methods of determining the orbits of binary stars, determined the difference in the longitudes of Kharkov and Nikolaev. 
The range of scientific interests of Levitsky was very wide. In addition to astronomical research, he conducted gravimetric observations, worked with horizontal pendulums serving to register tidal oscillations of the earth's crust. He can rightly be considered one of the founders of Russian seismology and a pioneer in the use of horizontal pendulums for seismic purposes. He paid much attention to searching for criteria for earthquake prediction. 
During the years 1894–1908 Levitsky worked at the University of Tartu as a professor since 1898, and in 1903–1905. his rector. At the same time he headed the Tartu Observatory. 
In the following years, Levitsky was a trustee of the Vilna and Warsaw educational districts, and taught at the Women's Pedagogical Institute in Petrograd. In 1915–1918 was chairman of the Russian Astronomical Society. 
Levitsky showed great interest in the history of national science, writing works on the history of the Tartu and Kharkov observatories. 
He died in Petrograd. 
Bay near the peninsula of De Kolong on the shore of Khariton Laptev. Named by Russian Polar Expedition in 1900.