| Authorised form of name | Cassini; Jean Dominique (1625 - 1712); astronomer |
| Dates | 1625 - 1712 |
| Nationality | Italian |
| Place of birth | Perinaldo, Imperia, Republic of Genova, [modern day Italy], Europe |
| Date of birth | 08 June 1625 |
| Place of death | Paris, France, Europe |
| Date of death | 14 September 1712 |
| Occupation | Engineer |
| Research field | Astronomy |
| Geodesy |
| Hydraulics |
| Activity | 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) |
| Membership category | Fellow |
| Date of election | 22/05/1672 |
| Age at election | 46 |
| Proposer | Henry Oldenburg |
| Other Royal Society activity | Correspondent to the Society on astronomical matters |
| Relationships | 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) |
| Published works | RCN: 32179
RCN: 32178
RCN: 32176
RCN: 32174
RCN: 32175
RCN: 32177 |
| General context | 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'. |
| Related images | Discover a selection of related images in our picture library |
| Sources | 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. |
| Virtual International Authority File | http://viaf.org/viaf/36947382 |
| Royal Society code | NA8383 |
| Reference number | Title | Date |
| M/041 | Cassini, Jean Dominique | |
| CLP/8i/55/5 | Diagram, lunar eclipse figures 5 and 6 by J [Jean Dominique] Cassini | 1697 |
| CLP/8i/55/6 | Diagram, lunar eclipse figure 7 by J [Jean Dominique] Cassini | 1697 |
| LBO/1/84 | Copy extract from a letter from Jean Dominique Cassini | 14 February 1665 |
| LBO/5/34 | Copy letter from Jean Cassini, Paris, to Henry Oldenburg | 1 January 1672 |
| LBO/3/38 | Copy letter from Henry Oldenburg, London, to Jean Dominique Cassini | 4 May 1669 |
| LBO/7/23 | Copy letter from Henry Oldenburg, London, to Jean Cassini | 30 March 1674 |
| LBO/7/45 | Copy letter from Jean Dominique Cassini to Henry Oldenburg | 28 June 1678 |
| CLP/8i/9/2 | Table, observation of a lunar eclipse, Jupiter and comets by Jean Dominique Cassini | 1664 |
| CLP/8i/57 | Paper, 'Altitudines poli traecipuaram Flandria et Hollandiae einitatum' [Altitude of the pole at Flanders and Holland] by J [Jean Dominique] Cassini | [17th Century] |
| CLP/8i/55/7 | Diagrams, lunar eclipse by J [Jean Dominique] Cassini | 1697 |
| CLP/8i/56 | Paper, regarding observations of the transit of Mercury across the Sun witnessed at Rotterdam [Netherlands] on 3 November 1697 by J [Jean Dominique] Cassini | 1697 |
| EL/C1/83 | Extract of a letter, from Jean Dominique Cassini to P [Jean de] Fontenay | nd |
| CLP/8i/55/8 | Diagrams, lunar eclipse by J [Jean Dominique] Cassini | 1697 |
| CLP/8i/32 | Paper, observations of Saturn with figures of sunspots and division in ring of Saturn by [Jean Dominique] Cassini | 1676 |
| CLP/8i/55/4 | Diagram, lunar eclipse figure 4 by J [Jean Dominique] Cassini | 1697 |
| EL/O2/66 | Letter, from Henry Oldenburg to Jean Cassini, dated at London | 15 January 1672 |
| CLP/8i/9/1 | Manuscript, regarding eclipses of the Moon, Jupiter and comet on 6 August 1684 in Rome from J [Jean Dominique] Cassini | 1664 |
| CLP/8i/55/3 | Diagram, lunar eclipse figure 3 by J [Jean Dominique] Cassini | 1697 |
| EL/F1/110 | Copy of a letter, from John Flamsteed to Jean Cassini | 1675 |
| EL/C1/70 | Letter, from Jean Dominique Cassini to Henry Oldenburg | 25 July 1676 |
| EL/C1/69 | Letter, from Jean Dominique Cassini to Henry Oldenburg, dated at Paris | 4 March 1676 |
| EL/F1/117 | Copy of a letter, from John Flamsteed to Jean Cassini, dated at Greenwich | 1675 |
| EL/C1/66 | Letter, from Jean Dominique Cassini to Henry Oldenburg, dated at Paris | 2 November 1676 |
| EL/C1/67 | Copy of a letter, from Jean Dominique Cassini to John Flamsteed | 11 February 1676 |
| EL/F1/98 | Copy of a letter, from John Flamsteed to Jean Cassini, dated at Derby | 7 July 1673 |
| CLP/8i/55/1 | Manuscript, 'Eclipsis lunaris observatio, facta Roterodami [Netherlands] die 29 Octobris anni 1697' [bservations of the lunar eclipse witnessed in Rotterdam on 29 October 1697] by J [Jean Dominique] Cassini | 1697 |
| EL/C1/86 | Letter, from Jean Dominique Cassini to Edmond Halley | 9 July 1701 |
| EL/C1/82 | Letter, from Jean Dominique Cassini to John Flamsteed, dated at Paris | 15 June 1682 |
| CLP/8i/30 | Paper, 'A new theory for the Moon' by J D [Jean Dominique] Cassini | [17th Century] |
| EL/C1/75 | Letter, from Jean Dominique Cassini to Henry Oldenburg, dated at Paris | 24 October 1676 |
| EL/C1/68 | Letter, from Jean Dominique Cassini to Henry Oldenburg, dated at Paris | 11 February 1676 |
| EL/C1/79 | Letter, from Jean Dominique Cassini to Henry Oldenburg, dated at Paris | 9 May 1677 |
| EL/O2/145 | Letter, from Henry Oldenburg to Jean Cassini, dated at London | 30 March 1674 |
| EL/C1/60 | Letter, from Jean Dominique Cassini to Henry Oldenburg, dated at Paris | 22 September 1673 |
| EL/C1/59 | Copy of a letter, from Jean Dominique Cassini to John Flamsteed | 11 August 1673 |
| EL/O2/108 | Letter, from Henry Oldenburg to Jean Cassini, dated at London | March 1673 |
| EL/C1/76 | Letter, from Jean Dominique Cassini to Henry Oldenburg, dated at Paris | 4 November 1676 |
| CLP/8i/32/2 | Diagram, sunspots and Saturn by [Jean Dominique] Cassini | 1676 |
| EL/C1/73 | Letter, from Jean Dominique Cassini to Henry Oldenburg, dated at Paris | 12 February 1676 |
| EL/C1/72 | Letter, from Jean Dominique Cassini to Henry Oldenburg, dated at Paris | 9 August 1676 |
| EL/O2/152 | Letter, from Henry Oldenburg to Jean Cassini, dated at London | 9 December 1674 |
| EL/C1/78 | Letter, from Jean Dominique Cassini to Henry Oldenburg, dated at Paris | 2 January 1677 |
| CLP/8i/32/1 | Manuscript, observations of Saturn with figures of sun spots and division in ring of Saturn by [Jean Dominique] Cassini | 1676 |
| EL/C1/58 | Letter, from Jean Dominique Cassini to Henry Oldenburg, dated at Paris | 11 August 1673 |
| AP/16/3 | Unpublished paper, 'An inquiry into the cause of the lunar librations and the reality of its motion about its centre of gravity or axis - in which it will appear that this rotary motion of the moon is entirely imaginary and that the librations of the moon have never been explained' by unknown author | 1835 |
| CLP/8i/55 | Paper, 'Eclipsis lunaris observatio, facta Roterodami [Netherlands] die 29 Octobris anni 1697' [bservations of the lunar eclipse witnessed in Rotterdam on 29 October 1697] by J [Jean Dominique] Cassini | 1697 |
| CLP/8i/55/2 | Diagram, lunar eclipse figure 2 by J [Jean Dominique] Cassini | 1697 |
| EL/C1/53 | Letter, from Jean Dominique Cassini to Henry Oldenburg, dated at Paris | 23 April 1672 |
| CLP/8i/9 | Paper, regarding eclipses of the Moon, Jupiter and comet on 6 August 1684 in Rome from J [Jean Dominique] Cassini | 1664 |
| CLP/7ii/4/1 | Manuscript, 'A dissertation concerning the figure of the Earth' by J T [John Theophilus] Desaguliers | 1724 |
| EL/C1/65 | Letter, from Jean Dominique Cassini to Henry Oldenburg | November 1676 |
| EL/C1/51 | Letter, from Jean Dominique Cassini to Henry Oldenburg, dated at Paris | 2 February 1671 |
| EL/A/8 | Letter, from Adrian Auzout to Henry Justel, dated at Paris | 27 January 1666 |
| EL/C1/55 | Letter, from Jean Dominique Cassini to Henry Oldenburg, dated at Paris | 22 June 1672 |
| EL/C1/50 | Letter, from Jean Dominique Cassini to Henry Oldenburg, dated at Paris | 10 June 1669 |
| EL/O2/130 | Letter, from Henry Oldenburg to Jean Cassini, dated at London | 11 September 1673 |
| EL/O1/113 | Letter, from Henry Oldenburg to Jean Cassini, dated at London | 4 May 1669 |
| EL/F1/102 | Copy of a letter, from John Flamsteed to Jean Cassini, dated at Derby | September 1673 |
| EL/O2/55 | Letter, from Henry Oldenburg to Jean Cassini, dated at London | 26 August 1671 |
| EL/C1/84 | Account of observations of the new comet from the Royal Observatory in Paris by Jean Dominique Cassini | February 1699 |
| EL/C1/80 | Letter, from Jean Dominique Cassini to Henry Oldenburg, dated at Paris | 16 June 1677 |
| EL/C1/56 | Account, observations of Saturn in October and November 1671 by Jean Dominique Cassini | nd |
| EL/C1/77 | Letter, from Jean Dominique Cassini to Henry Oldenburg, dated at Paris | 16 December 1676 |
| EL/C1/49 | Letter, from Jean Dominique Cassini [to the Royal Society] | 14 February 1665 |
| EL/C1/52 | Letter, from Jean Dominique Cassini to Henry Oldenburg, dated at Paris | 20 August 1671 |
| EL/C1/61 | Copy of a letter, from Jean Dominique Cassini to John Flamsteed, dated at Paris | 8 November 1673 |
| EL/C1/62 | Letter, from Jean Dominique Cassini to Henry Oldenburg, dated at Paris | 8 November 1673 |
| EL/C1/63 | Letter, from Jean Dominique Cassini to Henry Oldenburg, dated at Paris | 28 June 1674 |
| EL/C1/64 | Letter, from Jean Dominique Cassini to Henry Oldenburg, dated at Paris | 7 August 1675 |
| EL/C1/71 | Letter, from Jean Dominique Cassini to Henry Oldenburg, dated at Paris | 26 August 1676 |
| EL/C1/74 | Letter, from Jean Dominique Cassini to Henry Oldenburg, dated at Paris | 23 February 1676 |
| EL/C1/81 | Letter, from Jean Dominique Cassini to Henry Oldenburg, dated at Paris | 7 August 1677 |
| EL/A/1 | Letter, from Adrian Auzout to [unknown correspondent] | 3 March 1665 |
| EL/C1/54 | Letter, from Jean Dominique Cassini to Henry Oldenburg | 9 January 1672 |
| EL/C1/57 | Letter, from Jean Dominique Cassini to Henry Oldenburg, dated at Paris | 25 March 1673 |