Ayyub Guliyev
Ayyub Salah oglu Guliyev (; born 1 June 1954) is an Azerbaijani astronomer, researcher in the field of comets and small bodies. He is a doctor of physical and mathematical sciences, professor, corresponding member of Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences (ANAS) and a former director of the Shamakhy Astrophysical Observatory. He is member of the International Astronomical Union and European Astronomical Society. Scientific activities. Exploring the comet systems, Guliyev has found more than 50 new regularities. He studied the question of the interaction of comets and planets, has predicted an existence of unknown planetary bodies in the trans-neptunian  zone. Guliyev has advanced a new theory on the origin of short-perihelion comet groups. Jointly with S. K.Vsekhsvyatsky he has predicted tectonic activity of moons of Uranus. Guliyev has predicted the imminent opening of the Neptunian rings before their discovered. He studied the phenomenon of decrease of the absolute brightness of comets, studied and interpreted the distribution of long-period comets nodes and aphelion. Guliyev is an author of over 170 scientific articles, including three books. The minor planet 18749 Ayyubguliev is named after him.