Famous French Astronomers

Find out more about the greatest French Astronomers, including Pierre-Simon Laplace, Joseph-Louis Lagrange, Pope Sylvester II, Charles Messier and Pierre Janssen.
Pierre-Simon LaplacePierre-Simon Laplace
23 March 1749
Scientist
Giovanni Domenico CassiniGiovanni Domenico Cassini
08 June 1625
Astronomer and Mathematician

Charles MessierCharles Messier
26 June 1730
Astronomer

Johann Heinrich LambertJohann Heinrich Lambert
26 August 1728
Mathematician, Physicist and Astronomer

Joseph Louis LagrangeJoseph Louis Lagrange
25 January 1736
Mathematician and Astronomer

Joseph-Louis LagrangeJoseph-Louis Lagrange
25 January 1736
Mathematician
François AragoFrançois Arago
26 February 1786
Astronomer, Mathematician, Physicist, Politician,

Camille FlammarionCamille Flammarion
26 February 1842
astronomer, writer, balloonist, science fiction

Pierre GassendiPierre Gassendi
22 January 1592
Philosopher, Mathematician, Astronomer, Professor,
Urbain Le VerrierUrbain Le Verrier
11 March 1811
Astronomer

Hippolyte FizeauHippolyte Fizeau
23 September 1819
Physicist, Astronomer
Jean Sylvain BaillyJean Sylvain Bailly
15 September 1736
Astronomer

Alexis ClairautAlexis Clairaut
13 May 1713
Mathematician

Pierre Louis MaupertuisPierre Louis Maupertuis
28 September 1698
Mathematician

Jean-Baptiste BiotJean-Baptiste Biot
21 April 1774
Mathematician, Physicist, Astronomer, Civil

GersonidesGersonides
1288 AD
Philosopher
Guillaume Le GentilGuillaume Le Gentil
 

Oronce FinéOronce Finé
 

Charles Marie de La CondamineCharles Marie de La Condamine
28 January 1701
Explorer

Pierre JanssenPierre Janssen
22 February 1824
Astronomer
Jérôme LalandeJérôme Lalande
11 July 1732
Astronomer

Jean PicardJean Picard
 
Jacques CassiniJacques Cassini
18 February 1677
Astronomer

César-François Cassini de ThuryCésar-François Cassini de Thury
17 June 1714
Astronomer

Pierre MéchainPierre Méchain
16 August 1744
Astronomer
Jean Baptiste Joseph DelambreJean Baptiste Joseph Delambre
 

Joseph NicolletJoseph Nicollet
24 July 1786
Geographer
Alexis BouvardAlexis Bouvard
27 June 1767
Astronomer

Nicolas Louis de LacailleNicolas Louis de Lacaille
15 March 1713
French astronomer

Abraham bar HiyyaAbraham bar Hiyya
1070 AD
Mathematician
Nicolas-Claude Fabri de PeirescNicolas-Claude Fabri de Peiresc
01 December 1580
Astronomer

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Dominique, comte de CassiniDominique, comte de Cassini
30 June 1748
Astronomer
Carl August von SteinheilCarl August von Steinheil
12 October 1801
Physicist

Joseph-Nicolas DelisleJoseph-Nicolas Delisle
04 April 1688
Astronomer

Jean RicherJean Richer
1630 AD
Astronomer

Gérard de VaucouleursGérard de Vaucouleurs
25 April 1918
Astronomer
Charles-Eugène DelaunayCharles-Eugène Delaunay
09 April 1816
Astronomer
Henri-Alexandre DeslandresHenri-Alexandre Deslandres
24 July 1853
Astronomer

Audouin DollfusAudouin Dollfus
12 November 1924
Astronomer

Bernard LyotBernard Lyot
27 February 1897
Astronomer

Félix TisserandFélix Tisserand
13 January 1845
Astronomer
André-Louis DanjonAndré-Louis Danjon
06 April 1890
Astronomer

Jacob ben Machir ibn TibbonJacob ben Machir ibn Tibbon
1236 AD
Astronomer

Claude-Louis MathieuClaude-Louis Mathieu
25 November 1783
Mathematician

Levi ben GershomLevi ben Gershom
1288 AD
Philosopher

Jean-Baptiste-Joseph DelambreJean-Baptiste-Joseph Delambre
19 September 1749
Mathematician
Édouard Gaston DevilleÉdouard Gaston Deville
21 February 1849
Surveyor

William Of ConchesWilliam Of Conches
1090 AD
Philosopher