Jean-dominique cassini biography of michael

Where was giovanni cassini born

In order to distinguish him from other members of the Cassini scientific family, he has come to be referred to as Cassini IV. In , at the age of twenty, he sailed to America and the African coast testing a new marine chronometer invented by Pierre Le Roy. The account was published in With this in mind Jean Dominique began to take an increasing interest in the work of his father, particularly mapping and cartography.

They had four sons and four daughters:. This work continued, but it was not until that Jean Dominique was able to present the completed work to the National Assembly. Jean Dominique was offically appointed Director of the Observatory in Although this exercise continued, it was never completed. A memoir on this subject was published in Unfortunately for Jean Dominique — and many others, of course — revolution swept France.

On the 14th July a mob attacked and took over the Bastille in Paris, searching for weapons and munitions. Two days later three hundred men entered the Observatory again looking for food, weapons and munitions but, finding nothing, left but after first stripping lead from the roof to turn into ammunition. On the 19th June they had an audience with Louis XVI when Jean Dominique, on being asked by the King if he thought he could improve on the measurements made by his father and grand-father, replied that the Borda repeating circle was fifteen times more accurate than the methods they employed.

The next day the King fled to Varennes, but was recognised, arrested and returned to Paris. Jean Dominique apparently still felt loyalty to the King and was naturally having difficulties with the Revolution.