Giovanni Domenico Cassini
Mathematician and astronomer, Cassini's law
Born
June 8th, 1625
400 years ago
Died
September 14th, 1712
312 years ago — 87 years old
Category
Scientists & Innovators
Country
Italy/France
Links & References
An Italian-French mathematician and astronomer contributed significantly to the study of astronomy and mathematics during the 17th century. Cassini served as the director of the Paris Observatory and was involved in many important astronomical discoveries. He accurately determined the rotation periods of Jupiter and Mars and discovered four moons of Saturn. Cassini also introduced the Cassini Division, a gap in Saturn's rings, named after him, showcasing his detailed observations.
Measured the distance from Earth to Mars
Discovered the moons of Saturn: Iapetus, Rhea, Tethys, and Dione
Contributed to the development of the parabolic trajectory in rocket science
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