Samuel Gdalyevich Makover was a Soviet astronomer who led the Department of Small Planets and Comets at the Institute of Theoretical Astronomy of the USSR Academy of Sciences for many years. He developed the theory of the motion of the Encke-Bäcklund comet and, based on this theory, determined the mass of Mercury. He was a Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences.

Samuel Makover was born in 1908 in Łódź, Kingdom of Poland.

In 1930, he graduated from Moscow State University (MSU).

From 1934 to 1946, he worked in various institutes in Moscow (the Research Institute of Geodesy, Aerial Photography and Cartography, the Oil Institute, the Institute of Theoretical Geophysics, and the Institute of Applied Geophysics).

From 1947 to 1970, he worked at the Institute of Theoretical Astronomy of the USSR Academy of Sciences (leading the Department of Small Planets and Comets from 1963).

In the 1950s, he studied space motion and developed the theory of the motion of the Encke comet, compiling data on it over 150 years. Based on observations of the Encke comet, he determined the mass of the planet Mercury. He organized the rapid processing of data on the first artificial satellites of the Earth. He also established a base at the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory for observing small planets and comets, which became one of the world's leading centers in terms of the number and accuracy of observations.

In 1956, he earned his Doctorate in Physical and Mathematical Sciences.

He was a member of the International Astronomical Union. From 1964 to 1967, he was Vice-President of Commission No. 20 (Small Planets and Satellites) of the International Astronomical Union.

The asteroid No. 1771 (1771 Makover) was named in his honor.

He passed away in 1970.

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