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Nicolas-Louis De La Caille: astronomer and geodesist

La Caille was one of the observational astronomers and geodesists who followed Newton in developing ideas about celestial mechanics and the shape of the earth. He provided data to the great 18th-century mathematicians involved in understanding the complex gravitational effects that the heavenly bodi...

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Autor principal: Glass, I S
Lenguaje:eng
Publicado: Oxford University Press 2013
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://dx.doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199668403.001.0001
http://cds.cern.ch/record/1540149
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author Glass, I S
author_facet Glass, I S
author_sort Glass, I S
collection CERN
description La Caille was one of the observational astronomers and geodesists who followed Newton in developing ideas about celestial mechanics and the shape of the earth. He provided data to the great 18th-century mathematicians involved in understanding the complex gravitational effects that the heavenly bodies have on one another. Observing from the Cape of Good Hope, he made the first ever telescopic sky survey and gave many of the southern constellations their present-day names. He measured the paths of the planets and determined their distances by trigonometry. In addition, he made a controversial measurement of the radius of the earth that seemed to prove it was pear-shaped. On a practical level, La Caille developed the method of `Lunars' for determining longitudes at sea. He mapped the Cape. As an influential teacher he propagated Newton's theory of universal gravitation at a time when it was only beginning to be accepted on the European continent. This book gives the most comprehensive overview so far available of La Caille's life and work, showing how he interacted with his often difficult colleagues. It places special emphasis on his life at, and his observations and comments on, the Cape of Good Hope, where he spent the years 1751-53.
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spelling cern-15401492021-04-21T22:44:11Zdoi:10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199668403.001.0001http://cds.cern.ch/record/1540149engGlass, I SNicolas-Louis De La Caille: astronomer and geodesistBiography, Geography, HistoryLa Caille was one of the observational astronomers and geodesists who followed Newton in developing ideas about celestial mechanics and the shape of the earth. He provided data to the great 18th-century mathematicians involved in understanding the complex gravitational effects that the heavenly bodies have on one another. Observing from the Cape of Good Hope, he made the first ever telescopic sky survey and gave many of the southern constellations their present-day names. He measured the paths of the planets and determined their distances by trigonometry. In addition, he made a controversial measurement of the radius of the earth that seemed to prove it was pear-shaped. On a practical level, La Caille developed the method of `Lunars' for determining longitudes at sea. He mapped the Cape. As an influential teacher he propagated Newton's theory of universal gravitation at a time when it was only beginning to be accepted on the European continent. This book gives the most comprehensive overview so far available of La Caille's life and work, showing how he interacted with his often difficult colleagues. It places special emphasis on his life at, and his observations and comments on, the Cape of Good Hope, where he spent the years 1751-53.Oxford University Pressoai:cds.cern.ch:15401492013
spellingShingle Biography, Geography, History
Glass, I S
Nicolas-Louis De La Caille: astronomer and geodesist
title Nicolas-Louis De La Caille: astronomer and geodesist
title_full Nicolas-Louis De La Caille: astronomer and geodesist
title_fullStr Nicolas-Louis De La Caille: astronomer and geodesist
title_full_unstemmed Nicolas-Louis De La Caille: astronomer and geodesist
title_short Nicolas-Louis De La Caille: astronomer and geodesist
title_sort nicolas-louis de la caille: astronomer and geodesist
topic Biography, Geography, History
url https://dx.doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199668403.001.0001
http://cds.cern.ch/record/1540149
work_keys_str_mv AT glassis nicolaslouisdelacailleastronomerandgeodesist