Darwin Correspondence Project

French astronomer and author. Student astronomer at the office of calculations of the Paris Observatory, 1858–62; calculator at the Bureau des longitudes, 1862; returned to the Paris Observatory, 1873–82. Began publishing the monthly magazine L’Astronomie, and founded la Société Astronomique de France, in 1882. Worked from his private observatory in Juvisy-sur-Orge, from 1883. Prolific author of early science-fiction novels, popular science works on astronomy, and books on psychical research. Awarded the Légion d’honneur, 1912.