Dear friends!

Today, on April 12, we celebrate a truly significant holiday both for our country and for all mankind. 62 years ago, the first human flight into space took place.

The ingenious designer Sergey Korolev, together with Yuri Gagarin, our national heroes, paved the way for the inhabitants of the planet Earth to space and opened new horizons for understanding the world and human capabilities.

It is gratifying to realize that Saratov Land has a strong connection with this significant event, because it was here that the capsule with the legendary cosmonaut landed. And today, a park of space Explorers has been created on this place, which has become a place of attraction for tourists.

Not so long ago, Astronomers of Russia, unique for modern history, was published. It contains the personalities of the most outstanding Russian astronomers of 1917-2021. Among the outstanding astronomers and scientists of Saratov University are M.B. Bogdanov, I.F. Polak and Yu.A. Sklyarov. On the eve of the holiday, one of the lecture halls at the Faculty of Geography, SSU, was named after Yurii Sklyarov. Everyone who personally knew Professor Yu.A. Sklyarov, his relatives, as well as students and staff of SSU gathered at this solemn event.

There is a Society of Astronomy Lovers at Saratov University. Active, and most importantly, students and residents of the city who are in love with space, together with scientists of our university, observe celestial phenomena, and then share photos on social networks, thereby popularizing astronomy. So, quite recently, an initiative group climbed to the roof of the VIII building and with the help of a telescope observed spots on the surface of the Sun.

I am sure that future great scientists study and work at our university, who will make many more discoveries and contribute to the study and exploration of space. Happy Cosmonautics Day, friends!

Rector of Saratov State University

Aleksei Chumachenko