| Gunaras Kakaras | |
| Birth Date: | 8 January 1939 |
| Birth Place: | Padaičiai, near Biržai, Lithuania |
| Nationality: | Lithuanian |
| Field: | Astronomy and Astrophysics |
| Work Institution: | Lithuanian Museum of Ethnocosmology |
| Alma Mater: | Vilnius University |
| Known For: | Stars Photometry |
Gunaras Imantas Kakaras (born 8 January 1939, Padaičiai near Biržai) is a Lithuanian astronomer, founder and director of Lithuanian Museum of Ethnocosmology.[1] He is widely known in Lithuania and Post-Soviet states as a scientist, advocating and popularising Lithuanian ethnic culture along with astronomy.[2] [3]
In 1967, he published his first book Šimtas astronomijos mįslių (A Hundred Mysteries of Astronomy). In 1977, together with Algimantas Ažusienis and Antanas Juška, Kakaras released a textbook Astrofizika.[4] His field of interests has evolved into unique concept of ethnocosmology. This new idea was widely supported in Lithuania, and resulted in establishing Lithuanian Museum of Ethnocosmology in 1990,[1] which was built near Molėtai Astronomical Observatory, and until now is led by Kakaras himself. Asteroid 231040 Kakaras was named in his honor. The official was published by the Minor Planet Center on 25 September 2018 .