Lalande

Lalande, JOSEPH JÉRÔME LE-FRANÇAIS DE, a French astronomer, was born at Bourg, 11th July 1732. Sent to Paris to qualify for an advocate, he was attracted to astronomy, which he studied under Delisle and Lemonnier. The latter persuaded the Academy of Paris to send Lalande to Berlin in 1751, to determine the moon's parallax, whilst Lacaille was sent to the Cape of Good Hope. On his return he was appointed one of the astronomers-royal, and in 1762 succeeded Lemonnier in the professorship of Astronomy in the Collège de France, a post which he held down to his death on 4th April 1807. He lectured with great success, and published several astronomical works of a popular kind, as well as works of greater scientific value. In 1795 he was appointed Director of the Paris Observatory. His character was marked by extreme vanity; nevertheless he contributed greatly to the general progress of astronomical science. His principal work is Traité d'Astronomie (2 vols. 1764; 3d ed. 3 vols. 1792). In 1802 he instituted the Lalande prize for the most notable astronomical book or observation of the year.