Mikhail Mikhaylovich Pomortsev (July 24, 1851, Vasilyevshchina – July 2, 1916, all n.s.) was a Russian military officer, meteorologist and engineer. He invented a Nephoscope in 1894. A lunar crater Pomortsev is named after him. One of the pioneers in the field of Russian aeronautics and rocketry, Pomortsev conducted research into solid-propellant rockets in the early 20th century. In his military career, Pomortsev reached the rank of Artillery General; he taught at the Mikhailovskaya Military Artillery Academy in St Petersburg. References Поморцев Михаил Михайлович in the Great Soviet Encyclopedia, 3rd edition 1969–1978 (Russian) 1851 births 1916 deaths People from Parfinsky District Russian meteorologists Russian geographers Russian engineers Russian inventors Imperial Russian Army generals