Charles-Eugene Delaunay

Biography

Delaunay makes its studies with the Polytechnic school (Promotion 1834) which it leaves major in 1836. It enters in 1845 to the École des Mines where it teaches the descriptive Géométrie, the Analytical mechanics , the mechanical Dessin and the elementary Physique. It integrates in 1849 the body teaching of the Sorbonne, where he becomes physical professor of mechanics, to occupy two years later the same station at the Polytechnic school.

II seat in 1855 with the Office of longitudes and the Academy of Science and becomes director of the Observatoire of Paris in 1870. It receives the same year the Gold medal of Royal Astronomical Society.

Its work concerns in particular lunar mechanics as a particular case of the Problème of the three bodies. Its Development in series S to calculate the position of the moon converges too slowly to be usable in practice, but was a catalyst for the development of the analyzes functional. It contributed also an important share in differential Géométrie, by classifying surfaces of revolution of constant Courbure average, which today bear its name: Surface of Delaunay.

He dies at the time of an accident of boat close to Cherbourg the August 5th 1872.

Homages

Its name was engraved on the Eiffel Tower by Gustave Eiffel, among 72 scientists in recognition of their contributions.
Since 2006, its name is carried by a research laboratory depend on CNRS and University of technology of Troyes.

Publications

elementary Course of mechanics (1850)
Treated of mechanics (1856)
the Theory of the movement of the moon (2 volumes, 1860-1867)

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