Pierre Petit (8 December 1594His birth year is sometimes given as 1598. – 20 August 1677) was a French astronomer, physicist, mathematician and instrument maker. Petit was born in Montluçon. He succeeded his father in his municipal office (''Contrôleur de l'élection''), but went to Paris in 1633 to dedicate himself to the sciences. He was a member of the circle around Marin Mersenne, and knew Etienne Pascal,

Blaise Pascal Blaise Pascal (19June 162319August 1662) was a French mathematician, physicist, inventor, philosopher, and Catholic Church, Catholic writer. Pascal was a child prodigy who was educated by his father, a tax collector in Rouen. His earliest ...

, and

René Descartes René Descartes ( , ; ; 31 March 1596 – 11 February 1650) was a French philosopher, scientist, and mathematician, widely considered a seminal figure in the emergence of modern philosophy and Modern science, science. Mathematics was paramou ...

. Later he was a member of the academy of Montmor. On 4 April 1667 he became a fellow of The Royal Society.Database of all Royal Society fellows
fro
About Us
at the Royal Society official site He also served as a military engineer and geographer to Louis XIII and

Louis XIV LouisXIV (Louis-Dieudonné; 5 September 16381 September 1715), also known as Louis the Great () or the Sun King (), was King of France from 1643 until his death in 1715. His verified reign of 72 years and 110 days is the List of longest-reign ...

, in roles such as Superintendent of Fortifications. He died in Lagny-sur-Marne in 1677.

References

External links

* 1681 (with Johannes Hevelius)
Biographical Encyclopedia of Astronomers, Springer Reference
{{DEFAULTSORT:Petit, Pierre People from Montluçon 1594 births 1677 deaths 17th-century French astronomers 17th-century French engineers 17th-century French mathematicians Fellows of the Royal Society Foreign members of the Royal Society