Nicolas-Claude Fabri de Peiresc

Nicolas-Claude Fabri de Peiresc (December 1, 1580 – June 24, 1637) was a French astronomer and savant who maintained a wide correspondence with scientists and was a successful organizer of scientific inquiry, whose own researches were not confined to the matter of determining the difference in longitude of various locations in Europe, around the Mediterranean, and in North Africa. He was born at Belgentier, Var, France and grew up in the wealthy noble family of a higher magistrate in Provence. He was educated in Aix-en-Provence, Avignon, and at the Jesuit college at Tournon. At Toulon, he first became interested in astronomy. He undertook a longer travel in Italy, Switzerland and France in 1599, and finally finished his legal studies in 1604 in Montpellier. After receiving his degree, he returned to Aix and took over his uncle's position as conseiller in the Parlement of Provence, under the president of the Parlement, Guillaume du Vair. He and du Vair travelled to Paris 1605–1606 and in 1607–1615, he served at Aix.

External links

de Peiresc biography and references, Galileo Project at Rice University

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