Cet ouvrage dresse un vaste panorama de la fabrication tant matérielle que scientifique de la Connaissance des temps, héritière des éphémérides de l'astronome Johannes Kepler. Elle est la plus ancienne des éphémérides astronomiques et nautiques, publiée sans discontinuité depuis 1679, et actuellement publiée par l'Institut de Mécanique Céleste et de Calcul des Ephémérides (IMCCE) à l'Observatoire de Paris. Placée par Louis XIV sous la responsabilité de l'Académie royale des sciences au tout début du XVIIIe siècle, elle a été ensuite publiée par le Bureau des longitudes, de 1795 à 1998. Le présent ouvrage laisse une large place aux rôles des différentes institutions, aux propos des acteurs de cette publication, astronomes, directeurs, imprimeurs-libraires, calculateurs et calculatrices de l'éphéméride. La Connaissance des temps a été profondément et durablement modifiée par l'astronome Jérôme Lalande au cours des années 1760 et ces modifications se sont faites sentir jusqu'à la seconde moitié du XXe siècle. La découverte de nouvelles archives inédites du Bureau des longitudes a permis de lever le voile sur les modalités de la concurrence avec le Nautical Almanac, l'éphéméride rivale de la Connaissance des temps. Plus de 140 calculateurs ont pu aussi être identifiés permettant d'étudier et d'humaniser considérablement la production d'une éphéméride astronomique de référence sur près de 250 années.
Guy Boistel est docteur habilité à diriger des recherches en histoire des sciences et des techniques, chercheur associé au Centre François Viète d'histoire et d'épistémologie des sciences et des techniques de l'Université de Nantes, où il est responsable du Groupe d'Histoire de l'Astronomie. Il est membre du comité de pilotage du projet ANR "Les procès-verbaux du Bureau des longitudes, 1795-1932. Un patrimoine numérisé". Il participe à la valorisation des collections numérisées de la Connaissance des temps sur le site de l'IMCCE. Enfin, musicien de Jazz, professeur de sciences physiques au Lycée E. Livet à Nantes, il est aussi astronome amateur, variabiliste au sein du GEOS. Il présente un spectacle scientifique itinérant avec son collègue Stéphane Le Gars, sur l'universalité des lois de Kepler, le Kepler Music Project.
n/a IMCCE (Ed.)
L'Institut de mécanique céleste et de calcul des éphémérides (IMCCE) a été créé par décret du 2 juin 1998 modifiant celui de l'Observatoire de Paris. L'IMCCE a remplacé le Service des calculs et de mécanique céleste du Bureau des longitudes. Ce décret confère à l'IMCCE une structure d'institut au sein de l'Observatoire, en lui assignant une mission de recherche et une mission de service pour l'élaboration et la diffusion des éphémérides qu'il mène sous l'égide du Bureau des longitude. L'IMCCE est aussi une Unité Mixte de Recherche du CNRS (UMR 8028), intégrée à PSL Research University, et est associée aux universités UMPC, Sorbonne Université et Université de Lille, Sciences et Technologies.
Critique par James Lequeux de l'observatoire de Paris
JOURNAL OF ASTRONOMICAL HISTORY AND HERITAGE Vol 25, N°2
juin 2022
The period 1679–1920 has been covered so comprehensively and in such detail by Boistel that the subject is practically exhausted, leaving little room for further studies. His big book, which has involved many years of deep and well-organized research, is well presented, with very few typos and interesting illustrations. It gives a vivid description through a long period not only of the evolution of the CdT, but also, as promised by its title, of French astronomy and its relations with the successive governments,
the navigators and society in general. The so- lution adopted by Guy Boistel for publication is
excellent for such books with a necessarily limited readership, which would not make much money for the author anyhow; it should be generally adopted in similar cases. A problem however is that the book is written in French. Making a full translation in English would be a
large and little-rewarding task, and most inter- ested readers are likely to have at least a
superficial knowledge of French. They can use an automatic translator to clear up difficult
passages (I recommend DeepL which is con- siderably better than Google translation for
scientific texts). In any case, its reading will be a pleasure for the historian and the astronomer at large. I recommend it warmly and without any reservation.
Astronomy in service of the nation
Journal for the history of astronomy, vol.54/1 (Richard Dunn)
février 2023
The Connaissance des temps (CdT), France’s official annual ephemerides, has been published continuously since 1679, a remarkable feat given the course of French history in that time. Yet as Guy Boistel observes, it remains largely unknown outside astronomy. His mammoth book does much to address that situation. […] There is plenty of incidental detail and coverage of related subjects as well, notably concerning the Bureau des longitudes and French navigation and astronomy. Boistel provides useful contextual framing too, which readers less familiar with French history will appreciate. This is a substantial work – over 2 kg in its printed form. It is fairly basic in design and layout, but serves well as a work of reference. It is clearly structured – the 17 pages of contents alone give a comprehensive narrative overview – and has many useful charts, tables, appendices and footnotes. Its availability in pdf (available as free download) makes text searches straightforward, compensating for an unsatisfactory index. There is also a substantial bibliography. Boistel has long been a powerful advocate for the history of French astronomy and navigation, particularly in reaction to anglophone accounts. Those familiar with his work will recognise in this detailed and ambitious work his meticulous approach based on close reading of copious volumes of archival and other primary material. The volume is a fitting testament to years of intensive research.
Critique par James Lequeux de l'observatoire de Paris
JOURNAL OF ASTRONOMICAL HISTORY AND HERITAGE Vol 25, N°2juin 2022
The period 1679–1920 has been covered so
comprehensively and in such detail by Boistel
that the subject is practically exhausted, leaving
little room for further studies. His big book,
which has involved many years of deep and
well-organized research, is well presented, with
very few typos and interesting illustrations. It
gives a vivid description through a long period
not only of the evolution of the CdT, but also, as
promised by its title, of French astronomy and
its relations with the successive governments,
the navigators and society in general. The so-
lution adopted by Guy Boistel for publication is
excellent for such books with a necessarily
limited readership, which would not make much
money for the author anyhow; it should be
generally adopted in similar cases. A problem
however is that the book is written in French.
Making a full translation in English would be a
large and little-rewarding task, and most inter-
ested readers are likely to have at least a
superficial knowledge of French. They can
use an automatic translator to clear up difficult
passages (I recommend DeepL which is con-
siderably better than Google translation for
scientific texts). In any case, its reading will be
a pleasure for the historian and the astronomer
at large. I recommend it warmly and without
any reservation.
Astronomy in service of the nation
Journal for the history of astronomy, vol.54/1 (Richard Dunn)février 2023
The Connaissance des temps (CdT), France’s official annual ephemerides, has been published continuously since 1679, a remarkable feat given the course of French history in that time. Yet as Guy Boistel observes, it remains largely unknown outside astronomy. His mammoth book does much to address that situation. […] There is plenty of incidental detail and coverage of related subjects as well, notably concerning the Bureau des longitudes and French navigation and astronomy. Boistel provides useful contextual framing too, which readers less familiar with French history will appreciate. This is a substantial work – over 2 kg in its printed form. It is fairly basic in design and layout, but serves well as a work of reference. It is clearly structured – the 17 pages of contents alone give a comprehensive narrative overview – and has many useful charts, tables, appendices and footnotes. Its availability in pdf (available as free download) makes text searches straightforward, compensating for an unsatisfactory index. There is also a substantial bibliography. Boistel has long been a powerful advocate for the history of French astronomy and navigation, particularly in reaction to anglophone accounts. Those familiar with his work will recognise in this detailed and ambitious work his meticulous approach based on close reading of copious volumes of archival and other primary material. The volume is a fitting testament to years of intensive research.
Richard Dunn, Science Museum, London