Pierre-Antoine Véron
Encyclopedia
Pierre-Antoine Véron was a French expert astronomer
and mathematician
. He was was a disciple of astronomer and writer Jérôme Lalande
at the Collège Royal. Véron is famous for having made a historical observation of the size of the Pacific Ocean
. Together with Philibert Commerson, Véron is one of the main scientists accompanying Louis Antoine de Bougainville
on his voyage of exploration. He died of illness in Timor
in 1770.
of the globe on the La Boudeuse and L'Étoile
, but he had been earlier on other ships.
By means of a solar eclipse
and the new technology that was available to him Véron was able to determine the longitude
near Port Praslin in the southern part of New Ireland
on 13 July 1768. This fact was important for, following a previous longitude he took at the Strait of Magellan
, it allowed Véron to establish the width of the Pacific with precision for the first time in history.
The Verron Range
, one of the main mountainous features in New Ireland, Papua New Guinea
, was named after him.
Astronomer
An astronomer is a scientist who studies celestial bodies such as planets, stars and galaxies.Historically, astronomy was more concerned with the classification and description of phenomena in the sky, while astrophysics attempted to explain these phenomena and the differences between them using...
and mathematician
Mathematician
A mathematician is a person whose primary area of study is the field of mathematics. Mathematicians are concerned with quantity, structure, space, and change....
. He was was a disciple of astronomer and writer Jérôme Lalande
Jérôme Lalande
Joseph Jérôme Lefrançois de Lalande was a French astronomer and writer.-Biography:Lalande was born at Bourg-en-Bresse...
at the Collège Royal. Véron is famous for having made a historical observation of the size of the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
. Together with Philibert Commerson, Véron is one of the main scientists accompanying Louis Antoine de Bougainville
Louis Antoine de Bougainville
Louis-Antoine, Comte de Bougainville was a French admiral and explorer. A contemporary of James Cook, he took part in the French and Indian War and the unsuccessful French attempt to defend Canada from Britain...
on his voyage of exploration. He died of illness in Timor
Timor
Timor is an island at the southern end of Maritime Southeast Asia, north of the Timor Sea. It is divided between the independent state of East Timor, and West Timor, belonging to the Indonesian province of East Nusa Tenggara. The island's surface is 30,777 square kilometres...
in 1770.
Exploration of the Pacific
Véron was the astronomer on Bougainville's ship during his 1766 - 1769 circumnavigationCircumnavigation
Circumnavigation – literally, "navigation of a circumference" – refers to travelling all the way around an island, a continent, or the entire planet Earth.- Global circumnavigation :...
of the globe on the La Boudeuse and L'Étoile
French fluyt Étoile (1767)
The Étoile was a fluyt famous for being one of Louis Antoine de Bougainville's ships in his circumnavigation between 1766 and 1769, along with La Boudeuse. She was commanded by Francois Chenard de la Giraudais, and was the storeship of the expedition.She carried naturalist and physician Philibert...
, but he had been earlier on other ships.
By means of a solar eclipse
Solar eclipse
As seen from the Earth, a solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Sun and the Earth, and the Moon fully or partially blocks the Sun as viewed from a location on Earth. This can happen only during a new moon, when the Sun and the Moon are in conjunction as seen from Earth. At least...
and the new technology that was available to him Véron was able to determine the longitude
Longitude
Longitude is a geographic coordinate that specifies the east-west position of a point on the Earth's surface. It is an angular measurement, usually expressed in degrees, minutes and seconds, and denoted by the Greek letter lambda ....
near Port Praslin in the southern part of New Ireland
New Ireland (island)
New Ireland is a large island in Papua New Guinea, approximately 7,404 km² in area. It is the largest island of the New Ireland Province, lying northeast of the island of New Britain. Both islands are part of the Bismarck Archipelago, named after Otto von Bismarck, and they are separated by...
on 13 July 1768. This fact was important for, following a previous longitude he took at the Strait of Magellan
Strait of Magellan
The Strait of Magellan comprises a navigable sea route immediately south of mainland South America and north of Tierra del Fuego...
, it allowed Véron to establish the width of the Pacific with precision for the first time in history.
The Verron Range
Verron Range
The Verron Range is a mountain range in the southern part of New Ireland, Papua New Guinea, composed of limestone and volcanic rock. The highest point of the mountains is at 2150 m. Together with the Hans Meyer Range and the Lelet Plateau, it is one of the main mountainous features of New Ireland...
, one of the main mountainous features in New Ireland, Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
, was named after him.