The book describes the main stages of life and work of the famous astronomer, the first director of Nikolaev marine and astronomical observatory - Karl Friedrich von Knorre. Having lived for 51 years in Nikolaev, K. Knorre retired. He made a brilliant career, from a student of Dorpat University to the privy councilor (Vice-Admiral). K. Knorre promoted the development of the Black Sea Fleet by tense and selfless labour. He provided navigational maps and advanced equipment for marine officers. He also trained the marine officers on methods of celestial navigation.

He created the observatory to carry out hydrographic, nautical and astronomical work. The observatory provided an enormous contribution to the development of the Black Sea Fleet and the whole region. With his enormous capacity for work, Karl Friedrich von Knorre had created the fifth leaf for the Berlin Academic Star Charts, which helped the discovery of two small planets (Astrea and Flora) and the planet Neptune.

K. Knorre's work for the Black Sea Fleet and Northern Black Sea region as a whole helped to transform uninhabited steppe region into a civilized region with: developed infrastructure, land and sea transport routes, educational and research centers, modern means of communications. The book is addressed to anyone who is interested in the history of astronomy and the Black Sea Fleet.