- Julien Peridier
Julian Péridier (1882 –
April 19 ,1967 ) was a Frenchelectrical engineer and amateurastronomer . For his work he was made an Officer of theLegion of Honour . In 1933 he founded a privateobservatory atLe Houga, France . After his death, his library and instruments were acquired by theMcDonald Observatory at the University of Texas for use in teachingAstronomy .The convert|8|in|mm|sing=on
telescope at Le Houga was used extensively for studies of theplanet s and the teaching of young astronomers. In 1959 his observatory was part of an observational campaign regarding anoccultation ofRegulus byVenus . The success of the work at Le Houga started a five year collaboration withNASA onphotometry of theMoon and the planets using a convert|12|in|mm|sing=on reflector.He was married to
Adrienne Blanc-Péridier who was an accomplished author of one-act plays, romanticnovel s, and biographies.A crater on
Mars is named in his honor.External links
Obituaries
* [http://www.as.utexas.edu/library/mrperidier.html by G. de Vaucouleurs (at University of Texas website)]
* [http://articles.adsabs.harvard.edu//full/seri/PASP./0079//0000379.000.html PASP 79 (1967) 379]
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