Nicolas Louis de Lacaille

Abbé Nicolas Louis de Lacaille (March 15, 1713 – March 21, 1762]) was a French astronomer. He is noted for his catalogue of nearly 10,000 southern stars, including 42 nebulous objects. This catalogue, called Coelum Australe Stelliferum, was published posthumously in 1763. It introduced 14 new constellations which have since become standard. He also calculated a table of eclipses for 1800 years. In honor of his contribution to the study of the sou... more

Abbé Nicolas Louis de Lacaille (March 15, 1713 – March 21, 1762]) was a French astronomer. He is noted for his catalogue of nearly 10,000 southern stars, including 42 nebulous objects. This catalogue, called Coelum Australe Stelliferum, was published posthumously in 1763. It introduced 14 new constellations which have since become standard. He also calculated a table of eclipses for 1800 years. In honor of his contribution to the study of the southern hemisphere sky, a 60-cm telescope at Reunion Island will be named La-Caille telescope. Born at Rumigny, in the Ardennes, he was left destitute by the death of his father, who held a post in the household of the duchess of Vendôme. Therefore, his theological studies at the College de Lisieux in Paris were undertaken at the expense of the duke of Bourbon. After he had taken deacon's orders, however, he concentrated on science, and, through the patronage of Jacques Cassini, obtained employment, first in surveying the coast from Nantes to... less