Urbain Le Verrier
Urbain Jean Joseph Le Verrier (March 11, 1811 - September 23, 1877) was a French mathematician who specialized in celestial mechanics. He worked at the Paris Observatory for most of his life.
He was born in Saint-Lô, France.
His most famous achievement is the discovery of Neptune, using only mathematics and astronomical observations. The calculations were made to explain discrepancies between Uranus's observed orbit and that predicted from the laws of Kepler and Newton. At the same time, but unknown to each other, the same calculations were made by Adams. Le Verrier assisted Galle in locating the planet (September - 1846); which was found within 1° of its predicted location at a point in Aquarius.
Perhaps galvanized by his discovery, Le Verrier proceeded to intepret the orbit of Mercury as influenced by another planet (tentatively named Vulcan). This triggered a wave of false detections, which lasted until 1915, when Einstein explained the anomalous motion with his theory of general relativity.
He died in Paris, France.
Referenced By
1811 in science | 1846 in science | 1877 in science | 1915 in science | 23 September | 23rd September | Alexis Bouvard | Copley Medal | Félix Tisserand | Heinrich d'Arrest | James Challis | Johann Galle | Johann Gottfried Galle | John Couch Adams | Joseph-Louis Lagrange | Joseph-Louis de Lagrange | Joseph Louis Lagrange | List of astronomers | List of astronomical topics | List of astronomical topics (N-Z) | List of people by name: Le | Neptune (planet) | Neptunus (planet) | Observatoire de Paris | Paris Observatory | Planet Neptune | Planet X | September 23 | September 23rd | Timeline of gravitational physics and relativity | Timeline of solar system astronomy | Transpluto | Vulcan (planet)
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