20 September left several notable traces in the history of the Korabelnyi District and Mykolaiv. On this day the Marine Astronomical Observatory began operating, the future asteroid 8141 Nikolaev was discovered, a book about the district was presented in Korabelnyi, and in 2019 two important shipbuilding events took place. This date also has tragic pages in recent history.
20 September 1827: the Marine Astronomical Observatory opened in Mykolaiv
The Marine Astronomical Observatory was opened on Spassky Hill, where the first astronomical observations were conducted the same day. The institution was founded on the initiative of Admiral Oleksiy Samuilovych Greig, and the first director was Karl Khristoforovich Knorre. Important clarification: 20 September 1827 is the date in the Julian calendar, which was used in the Russian Empire at the time; according to the modern Gregorian calendar this is 2 October 1827.
20 September 1982: the future asteroid 8141 Nikolaev was discovered
Astronomer Mykola Stepanovych Chernykh at the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory discovered a minor planet that received the provisional designation 1982 SO4. In 2001 he proposed to name the object 8141 Nikolaev in honor of Mykolaiv and the 180th anniversary of the Mykolaiv Astronomical Observatory.
20 September 2012: a book about the district was presented in Korabelnyi
During the City Day celebration in the Korabelnyi District a book titled “Korabelnyi District: Past and Present” was presented. It was introduced by then head of the district administration Volodymyr Illiich Ustenko, the first head of the Korabelnyi district executive committee Viktor Oleksandrovych Bilyi, Olha Anatoliivna Popova and the head of Library No. 18 Olha Ivanivna Yasko; the first copies of the publication were handed over, among others, to the principals of local schools.
20 September 2019: contracts for “Okean” and the 140-meter NIBULON MAX
At the Okean shipyard in the Korabelnyi District they signed contracts with the Dutch company Eurobulk to build 2 dry-cargo barges each 79 meters long — these were the company’s first newbuilds after an 8-year hiatus. The same day in Mykolaiv they put into service the 140-meter NIBULON MAX — the longest vessel built by NIBULON at its own shipyard at that time.
20 September 2025: Russia attacked Mykolaiv‘s industrial infrastructure
In the early morning Russian forces carried out a massive combined strike on Mykolaiv with ballistic missiles and Shahed-type strike UAVs. The target was industrial infrastructure; impacts caused fires; according to morning reports there was no information about casualties.
20 September 2025: Vadym Andriyovych Serdtsev died
At the age of 95 the Honorary Citizen of Mykolaiv and veteran worker of MGZ, Vadym Andriyovych Serdtsev, passed away. After retiring he for decades focused on greening primarily the Korabelnyi District: according to biographical materials, he personally planted over 22,000 trees in the city.
This day in Ukraine and the world
On 20 September 1991 the Verkhovna Rada created the National Security Service of Ukraine — the predecessor of the modern SBU. On 20 September 1519 an expedition of Ferdinand Magellan and Juan Sebastián Elcano departed from Sanlúcar de Barrameda, which completed the first circumnavigation of the globe. And on 20 September 1946 the first Cannes Film Festival opened in Cannes, France.
Thus 20 September united sky and sea for Mykolaiv: from the observatory’s first observations and an asteroid bearing the city’s name to new ships. For the Korabelnyi District this date also recalls Okean’s return to shipbuilding and the person who left behind tens of thousands of living trees.
Previously we wrote:
- From the order for “Okean” to Korabelnyi’s gold: what made 19 September memorable in Mykolaiv
- From the birth of NUK to the future concession of “Olvia”: what made 18 September memorable in Mykolaiv
- The hryvnia via “Oktyabrsk”, the city’s 200th anniversary and “Mykolaivets”: what made 17 September memorable
- Siversov lighthouse, the football Cup and remembrance of over 10,000 Jews: what made 16 September memorable
- The gas-turbine firstborn, the legendary “Shar” and aviation over Kulbakine: what made 15 September memorable in Mykolaiv
