Marie-Charles Damoiseau facts for kids
Baron Marie-Charles-Théodore de Damoiseau de Montfort (born April 6, 1768, died August 6, 1846) was a famous French astronomer. He is best known for his important work on the Moon's movements.
About Damoiseau
Marie-Charles-Théodore de Damoiseau was born in Besançon, France. He first worked as an officer in the artillery. However, he left France in 1792 during the French Revolution. He then worked as an assistant director at the Lisbon Observatory in Portugal. Damoiseau returned to France in 1807.
In 1825, he became a member of the French Academy of Sciences. This is a very respected group of scientists. He was also part of the Bureau des Longitudes, which focused on calculating time and geographical positions.
His Scientific Work
Damoiseau is most famous for creating detailed tables of the Moon's position. These tables helped predict exactly where the Moon would be in the sky. He published these important tables between 1824 and 1828.
Understanding the Moon's Movement
In 1818, a famous scientist named Pierre-Simon Laplace suggested a prize. The prize was for anyone who could create Moon tables using only the law of universal gravity. This law explains how objects in space pull on each other.
In 1820, Damoiseau won this prize. He shared the award with two other astronomers, Francesco Carlini and Giovanni Plana. Their work helped scientists better understand the Moon's path.
Honors and Legacy
Damoiseau received several important awards for his work:
- He won the Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society in 1831. This is a very high honor for astronomers.
- He was made an honorary member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1832.
- A crater on the Moon is named after him. This is a lasting tribute to his contributions to astronomy.
