Alexandre Guy Pingré | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | September 1711 (1711-09) Paris, France |
| Died | 1 May 1796(1796-05-01) (aged 84) Paris, France |
| Notable work | État du Ciel |
| Title | Dom |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | astronomy mathematics navalgeography |
| Institutions | Academy of Rouen Abbey of St Genevieve |
DomAlexandre Guy Pingré (September 1711 – 1 May 1796) was a Frenchcanon regular,astronomer and navalgeographer.
Pingré was born inParis but was educated by thecanons regular of theAbbey of St. Vincent inSenlis, Oise, where he entered the community at the age of sixteen. In 1735, after hisordination as apriest, he was appointed professor of theology at the school. Soon, however, he came under suspicion of subscribing toJansenism and was summoned by theBishop of Pamiers, by whom he was rebuked and required to submit to an interrogation by a committee ofJesuits.[1]
In 1745 KingLouis XV called aGeneral Chapter of the Congregation of Canons Regular of St. Genevieve to which Pingré belonged. He commanded the election of a canon who would enforce the royal policy against Jansenist teachings. Participation in the chapter required an oath of obedience to thepapal bullUnigenitus, which had been issued to condemn those teachings. Pingré and several other canons of Senlis objected to the chapter and were removed from their positions of responsibility in the congregation. He subsequently was assigned to serve only in rural parishes.[1]
At an early age Pingré had developed an interest in astronomy, and in 1749 he was appointed professor of astronomy at the newly foundedAcademy of Rouen. He would eventually be appointed the librarian of theAbbey of St Genevieve in Paris, and the university's chancellor. At St. Genevieve he would build an observatory, and continue to work there for forty years.[1]
Unfortunately Pingré suffered from poor health and eyesight, so his observing skills were limited, but he did earn a reputation as an excellent mathematician. He came to the attention of the scientific community when he detected an error of four minutes inLacaille's computation of a 1749 lunar eclipse. After observing a transit of Mercury, he was made a corresponding member of theAcadémie des Sciences. In 1757 he became interested in comets and published a substantial treatise on the theory and observational history of comets.
Subsequently he published a nautical almanac based on the work ofPierre Charles Lemonnier containing lunar tables. During the 1761transit of Venus, Pingré went on one of the three observing campaigns organized by the Académie Royale, travelling toRodrigues Island nearMadagascar, which was unsuccessful.[1][2] Pingré's subsequent discounting ofGiovanni Battista Audiffredi's observations led to a scientific dispute.[3]
In 1767 he sailed to the Baltic withCharles Messier to test marine chronometers. Two years later he joined a successful expedition toHaiti to observe the Venus transit of 1769. In 1771 he took part in the scientific mission of thefrigateFlore, under LieutenantVerdun de la Crenne, along withBorda.
ThePingré crater on theMoon is named after him, as is the asteroid12719 Pingré.
Pingré was left impoverished upon thesuppression of his monastery in theFrench Revolution. He was able to continue publishing his work until his death in 1796, however, through the support of fellow astronomer,Jérôme Lalande, who obtained for him a grant of 3,000 francs from theNational Assembly.[1]
