Étienne-Hyacinthe de Ratte


Étienne-Hyacinthe de Ratte was an 18th-century French astronomer and mathematician.
De Ratte made some verses in his youth, but he soon turned away from his natural tastes to engage with ardor in the study of mathematics. At twenty-one, he was secretary of the.
De Ratte also wrote a number of contributions to the Encyclopédie on physical issues such as froid, glace, gelée, etc.
Although Ratte pursued diverse scientific interests, he devoted himself mainly to astronomy. In this discipline, he made a large number of observations, such as the Venus transit on 6 June 1761. The minor planet 159409 Ratte, discovered at Pises Observatory in 1999, was named in his memory.

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