James Stephen Rigaud facts for kids
James Stephen Rigaud (1726 – 16 April 1814) was an important astronomer from the 1700s. He was also known as Stephen Rigaud. Astronomers are scientists who study stars, planets, and space.
His Life and Work
Stephen Rigaud's parents were Pierre Rigaud and Anne Unice Mestre.
He worked as an Assistant Observer at the King's Observatory. This observatory was a special building for studying the sky. It was built near Richmond Lodge for a very important event.
Observing the Transit of Venus
In 1769, a rare event happened: the Transit of Venus. This is when the planet Venus passes directly in front of the Sun. From Earth, it looks like a small black dot moving across the Sun's face.
Scientists like Rigaud used this event to measure the distance between the Earth and the Sun. This was a big deal for understanding our solar system. Rigaud helped Dr. Stephen Demainbray with these important observations.
Family Life
In 1771, Stephen Rigaud married Mary Demainbray. She was the daughter of Dr. Stephen Demainbray, his colleague. They got married at St Mary Magdalene's Church, Richmond.
The couple lived at 5 Old Palace Terrace in Richmond. They had two children: Mary Anne and Stephen Peter Rigaud. Stephen Peter later became an astronomer and a historian of mathematics, just like his father.
In 1778, a painter named John Francis Rigaud painted Mary Anne and Stephen Peter. The painting shows them in a park with the Kew Observatory in the background. This park was likely the Old Deer Park, which is around the observatory.
Stephen Rigaud passed away in 1814. He was buried in the Vineyard Passage Burial Ground. This burial ground is close to the church where he had married.
