Philippe Gustave le Doulcet, Comte de Pontécoulant

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Philippe Gustave Doulcet, Comte de Pontécoulant (1795–1874) was a French astronomer.

Philippe Gustave le Doulcet de Pontécoulant
Grave of Philippe Gustave le Doulcet de Pontécoulant
Born21 June 1795
Died21 July 1874 (1874-07-22) (aged 79)
Resting placePère Lachaise Cemetery
Known forAstronomy
ParentLouis Gustave le Doulcet, comte de Pontécoulant

He was the younger son of Louis Gustave le Doulcet, Comte de Pontécoulant and was the brother of Louis-Adolphe Pontécoulant. After 1811 he served in the army until 1849. Following his retirement he dedicated himself to the study of mathematics and astronomy.

In 1829 he used the mathematical methods of Poisson and Lagrange to successfully predict the return of Halley's comet with good precision. His prediction of the perihelion passage was correct to within two days.[1]

He was a member of the French Academy of Sciences. The crater Pontécoulant on the Moon is named after him.

Bibliography

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References

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  1. ^ George Forbes, "History of Astronomy".
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