- Joseph-Nicolas Delisle
Infobox Scientist
name = Joseph-Nicolas Delisle
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caption = Joseph-Nicolas Delisle
birth_date =April 4 ,1688
birth_place =Paris
death_date = 1768Paris
death_place =Paris
residence =
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nationality = French
ethnicity =
field =astronomy
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doctoral_advisor =J. Lietaud ,Jacques Cassini ,
doctoral_students =
known_for =Delisle scale
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Joseph-Nicolas Delisle (April 4 ,1688 Paris - 1768Paris ) was a Frenchastronomer .Life
He was one of the 11 sons of Claude Delisle (1644-1720). Like many of his brothers, among them
Guillaume Delisle , he initially followed classical studies. Soon however, he moved toastronomy under the supervision ofJ. Lietaud andJacques Cassini . He entered theFrench Academy of Sciences as pupil ofGiandomenico Maraldi (1709-1788). Though he was a good scientist and member of a wealthy family he did not have much money.His life changed radically when he was called by the Russian czar Peter the Great to
Saint Petersburg to create and run the school of astronomy. He arrived there only in 1726, after the death of the czar. He became quite rich and famous, to such an extent that when he returned to Paris in 1747, he built his own observatory in the palace ofCluny , later made famous byCharles Messier . Also he received the title of Astronomer from the Academy.Legacy
Delisle is mostly known for the
Delisle scale , a temperature scale he invented in 1732.The Delisle crater on theMoon , and theasteroid 12742 Delisle are named for him.
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