Alexis Bouvard facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alexis Bouvard
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Alexis Bouvard
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| Born | 27 June 1767 Contamines, France
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| Died | 7 June 1843 (aged 75) Paris
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| Nationality | French |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | astronomy |
| Institutions | Paris Observatory |
Alexis Bouvard (French pronunciation: [alɛksi buvaʁ], June 27, 1767 – June 7, 1843) was a French astronomer. He is especially known for his careful observations of the planet Uranus. He noticed that Uranus did not move exactly as expected. This led him to guess that another, unseen planet was pulling on Uranus. This idea later helped lead to the discovery of the planet Neptune in our Solar System.
Life of Alexis Bouvard
Alexis Bouvard was born in Contamines, which was part of the Duchy of Savoy at the time. He achieved many important things in his life.
He discovered eight comets, which are icy space objects that orbit the Sun. He also created detailed tables that showed the movements of the planets Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus.
While his tables for Jupiter and Saturn worked very well, the ones for Uranus had big differences. The planet wasn't where his tables said it should be. This made Bouvard think that there must be another planet out there. He believed this unknown planet was pulling on Uranus, making its path irregular.
After Bouvard passed away, another scientist named Urbain Le Verrier used Bouvard's observations. Le Verrier was able to calculate where this new planet should be. This calculation eventually led to the discovery of Neptune, the eighth planet from the Sun.
Bouvard started working at the Paris Observatory in 1793 as a student astronomer. He worked with a famous scientist named Pierre-Simon Laplace. Eventually, Bouvard became the director of the Paris Observatory. He died in Paris.
What He Was Honored For
Alexis Bouvard received several important honors during his life:
- He became a member of the French Academy of Sciences in 1803. This is a very respected group of scientists in France.
- He was made a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1826. This is a top scientific organization in the United Kingdom.
- He became an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 1828.
A place in Australia was also named after him. French sailors discovered a cape (a piece of land sticking out into the sea) and named it Cape Bouvard. There is also a suburb called Bouvard and a development called Port Bouvard in the same area. All these places are located near the city of Mandurah on the southwest coast of Western Australia.
See also
In Spanish: Alexis Bouvard para niños
