François Felix Tisserand - Forgotten genius of celestial mechanics.
The intended audience for this short biography is the general reader, science historians, amateur and professional astronomers, and anyone interested in the history of astronomy. It will particularly appeal to those interested in asteroids, comets and celestial mechanics.
François Félix Tisserand was one of the great 19th century astronomers. Born into a working class family, his father was a cooper in the French wine making region of Nuits-Saint-Georges, Burgundy. He was an intellectual giant. He was also a 'people-person' and all those who came into contact with him remarked on his good nature, character and diligence.
His work on gravitational dynamics is on a par with that of his predecessor Pierre Laplace. He determined a method of how to identify the faint and nebulous comets and asteroids by their orbits. The 'Tisserand criterion' he defined continues to be used today as the only way of uniquely identifying such objects.
He undertook three expeditions, to Japan, Malaysia and the Caribbean as part of his work in determining the scale of the solar system and was director of the Paris observatory after the tumultuous governance of Urbain Le Verrier.
And yet today, very few people, including astronomers, will have heard of Tisserand or his achievements. He was a modest man and as we will see in this biography, he was a great promoter and teacher of both astronomy and mathematics.
This book aims to:
Very little astronomy or technical knowledge is required of the reader; this book is a biography about the person of Tisserand and does not go into technical detail on gravitation dynamics!
Contents overview
Detailed contents page and list of figures can be viewed by clicking here
An extract of some of the pages within this book can be viewed by clicking here
This book was reviewed in The Observatory (139,1268,2019); the review can be read here
A5 paperback version (perfect binding) pp 87; 21 figures (8 full colour)
ISBN 978-1-9999044-0-1 Price: £5.99 from Amazon UK at this link
The intended audience for this short biography is the general reader, science historians, amateur and professional astronomers, and anyone interested in the history of astronomy. It will particularly appeal to those interested in asteroids, comets and celestial mechanics.
François Félix Tisserand was one of the great 19th century astronomers. Born into a working class family, his father was a cooper in the French wine making region of Nuits-Saint-Georges, Burgundy. He was an intellectual giant. He was also a 'people-person' and all those who came into contact with him remarked on his good nature, character and diligence.
His work on gravitational dynamics is on a par with that of his predecessor Pierre Laplace. He determined a method of how to identify the faint and nebulous comets and asteroids by their orbits. The 'Tisserand criterion' he defined continues to be used today as the only way of uniquely identifying such objects.
He undertook three expeditions, to Japan, Malaysia and the Caribbean as part of his work in determining the scale of the solar system and was director of the Paris observatory after the tumultuous governance of Urbain Le Verrier.
And yet today, very few people, including astronomers, will have heard of Tisserand or his achievements. He was a modest man and as we will see in this biography, he was a great promoter and teacher of both astronomy and mathematics.
This book aims to:
- Describe the life and work of François Félix Tisserand
- Provide an overview of his work, and his lasting legacy
- Discuss why Tisserand has not had the acclaim and long-lasting fame his achievements merit
- Give the reader a guide to sites in and around Nuits-Saint-Georges where Tisserand spent his early life
- Encourage and inspire readers to follow their own lines of personal research.
Very little astronomy or technical knowledge is required of the reader; this book is a biography about the person of Tisserand and does not go into technical detail on gravitation dynamics!
Contents overview
- François Félix Tisserand - the astronomer from Nuits-Saint-Georges
- Tisserand the person
- Félix Tisserand the teacher
- Tisserand the astronomer
- Appendices
Detailed contents page and list of figures can be viewed by clicking here
An extract of some of the pages within this book can be viewed by clicking here
This book was reviewed in The Observatory (139,1268,2019); the review can be read here
A5 paperback version (perfect binding) pp 87; 21 figures (8 full colour)
ISBN 978-1-9999044-0-1 Price: £5.99 from Amazon UK at this link
