Person Cassini; Jean Dominique (1625 - 1712); astronomer Cassini Jean Dominique astronomer Cassini, Giovanni Domenico 1625 - 1712 Italian Male Perinaldo, Imperia, Republic of Genova, [modern day Italy], Europe 08 June 1625 16250608 Paris, France, Europe 14 September 1712 17120914

Engineer Astronomy Geodesy Hydraulics Education: School at Vallebonne; Jesuit College at Genoa; Abbey of San Fructuoso; Pupil of Giovanni Battista Riccioli and Francesco Maria Grimaldi Career: Worked in the Observatory of the Marchese Cornelio Malvasia at Panzano, near Bologna (1648); Professor of Astronomy at Bologna (1650); reconstructed the meridian at the church of San Petronio, Bologna (1653); Secretary to the Genoese Embassy to Louis XIV; Superintendent of the Waters of Bologna and the Papal States; Superintendent of Fortifications at Urbino; brought to France by Colbert to be the first Manager of the Observatoire in Paris (1669-1710); went to Cayenne to observe the parallax of Mars (1672); naturalised French (1673); travelled to Italy, where he revisited the meridian of San Petronio (1695) Memberships: Academie Royale des Sciences (1669) Parents: Giacomo Cassini and Giulia Crovesi Married: Genevieve Delaitre Children: Jacques Cassini (FRS 1698) Additional relatives: Cesar Francois Cassini de Thury (FRS 1751); great-grandfather of Jean Dominique Cassini (ForMem RS 1789) Cassini was the founder of a family of astronomers with links to the Paris observatory. He observed four satellites of Saturn as well as the division of its rings, which was ultimately named after him as the 'Cassini Division'. Some oval curves which were suggested as substitutes for Kepler's ellipses were also named after him as 'Cassinians'. Fellow 22/05/1672 46 Henry Oldenburg Correspondent to the Society on astronomical matters Sources: Bulloch's Roll; DSB; Hunter; NBG; DBI References: Cavazza, M. 2002. 'The Institute of Science of Bologna and the Royal Society in the eighteenth century', in Notes and Records, vol. 56, pp. 3-25 Cook, Sir A. 1997. ''An Astronomical Patriarch', review of Anna Cassini, Gio: Domenico Cassini Uno scienzato del Seicento', in Notes and Records, vol. 51, pp. 335-337 Cook, Sir A. 1997. 'Ladies in the Scientific Revolution', in Notes and Records, vol. 51, pp. 1-12 Da Costa Andrade, E N. 1965. 'The Birth and Early Days of the Philosophical Transactions', in Notes and Records, vol. 20, pp. 9-27 De Beer, Sir G and Hey, M H. 1954-55. 'The First Ascent of Mont Blanc', in Notes and Records, vol. 11, pp. 236-255 Faure-Fremiet, 1966. 'Les Origines de l'Academie des Sciences de Paris', in Notes and Records, vol. 21, pp. 20-31 McKie, D. 1958. 'James, Duke of York, FRS', in Notes and Records, vol. 13, pp. 6-18 Notes: DBI says Perinaldo is in Province of Nizza (ie Nice), then in Savoy, now in France. ©The Royal Society International Standard Archival Authority Record for Corporate Bodies, Persons and Families - ISAAR(CPF) - Ottawa 1996 ISBN 0-9696035-3-3 National Council on Archives, Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997 RCN: 32179 RCN: 32178 RCN: 32176 RCN: 32174 RCN: 32175 RCN: 32177 https://pictures.royalsociety.org/results?mi_search_type=adv&mi_adv_search=yes&adv_person_id=AUTH1576 https://pictures.royalsociety.org/image-rs-17121 8 Jun 1625 - 14 Sep 1712 The past Fellows entries are under continuous revision. If you have queries or additional information to contribute, please contact Library@royalsociety.org. Content in external sources is not controlled by the Royal Society and historical sources may include content that is now unacceptable. Reviewed on 28/07/2022 as part of the Name Authority Project update. NA8383 21/11/2001 Andyg pmab 28/03/2023 RS_NET\JonathanB Yes http://viaf.org/viaf/36947382 b603ebea-8f2d-451b-8b1e-20ad3ac84971