Jānis Ikaunieks

Jānis Ikaunieks (28 April 1912 Riga – 27 April 1969 Riga) was a Latvian astronomer, who studied the characteristics of the red giants, and, in particular carbon stars. He founded the Latvian Astronomical Society and the popular science magazine The Starry Sky and was the first director of the Baldone Observatory at Baldone near Riga, Latvia. His monograph «Углеродные звёзды» (rus., 1971, coauthor Z. Alksne) translated in the USA (Carbon Stars. Z. K. Alksne and Ya. Ya. Ikaunieks; translated and edited by John H. Baumert. – Tucson, Arizona: Pachart Publishing House, 1981. – 182 p.).

He died in 1969, and was laid to rest on the territory of Baldone Observatory.

Baldone Astrophysical Observatory

Ikaunieks was instrumental in founding the (, Baldones observatorija), located approximately 5 kilometers from the town of Baldone in , southwest of Riga. In 1958 he became its first director until his death in 1969. It belongs to the Latvian Academy of Sciences (LAS) and is often referred to as Astrophysical Observatory of the Institute of Astronomy, University of Latvia .

The asteroid 274084 Baldone, discovered by Kazimieras Černis and Ilgmars Eglitis was named for the town of Baldone and its nearby observatory. Asteroid 284984 Ikaunieks, discovered by Latvian astronomers Kazimieras Černis and Ilgmārs Eglītis at Baldone Observatory in 2010, was named in his memory. The official was published by the Minor Planet Center on 7 February 2012 .