Suzanne Débarbat
Suzanne Débarbat | |
|---|---|
| Born | 4 September 1928 Montluçon, France |
| Died | 6 August 2024 (aged 95) Ivry-sur-Seine, France |
| Alma mater | Paris University |
| Employer(s) | Paris Observatory Bureau des Longitudes |
| Organization(s) | International Astronomical Union (IAU) Académie Internationale d’Histoire des Sciences French Topography Association French National Committee for the History and Philosophy of Science |
| Awards | Legion of Honour Ordre national du Mérite Ordre des Arts et des Lettres |
Suzanne Virginie Débarbat (4 September 1928 – 6 August 2024) was a French astronomer and historian of science and technology. She worked at the Paris Observatory for the duration of her career.
Biography
Débarbat was born on 4 September 1928 in Montluçon, France.[1][2] Her parents were Victor Débarbat and Léontine-Pauline Débarbat.[1]
Débarbat achieved her doctorate in 1969 from the Paris University.[3] In 1953, Débarbat joined Paris Observatory as an Assistant and worked there for the whole of her career. She was a member of the International Astronomical Union (IAU), serving as the president of the IAU Commission 41 (History of Astronomy) from 1991 to 1994.[3] She was also a member of the Bureau des Longitudes, serving as president from 2004 to 2005,[3] Académie Internationale d’Histoire des Sciences,[4][5] French Topography Association and the French National Committee for the History and Philosophy of Science.[6]
Débarbat was also a historian of science and technology, principally focused on 17th-century astronomy in France and Europe.[3] Her historical research included Jean Dominique Cassini’s presentation of a new map of the Moon to the Academy of Sciences in Paris in 1679, the origins of the metric system in France and the history of the Paris Observatory.[4]
Débarbat died on 6 August 2024 in Ivry-sur-Seine, France, aged 95.[3][4]
Awards
- Ladies' award [fr] of the Société astronomique de France (1977)
- Knight (1996), then Officer of the Legion of Honour (2006)[4]
- Officer of the Ordre national du Mérite (2001)[4][7]
- Commander of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (2013)[4][8]
- Prix Jules Janssen de l’Information Scientifique (2019)[1][4][9]
Minor planet 15671 Suzannedébarbat was named in her honour.[10]
References
- ^ a b c "Biographie Suzanne Débarbat Astronome". biographie.whoswho.fr (in French). Retrieved 4 October 2025.
- ^ Orchiston, Wayne; Green, David A.; Strom, Richard (24 November 2014). New Insights From Recent Studies in Historical Astronomy: Following in the Footsteps of F. Richard Stephenson: A Meeting to Honor F. Richard Stephenson on His 70th Birthday. Springer. pp. xx. ISBN 978-3-319-07614-0.
- ^ a b c d e Lequeux, James; Orchiston, Wayne (11 February 2025). "OBITUARY: SUZANNE VIRGINIE DÉBARBAT (1928–2024)". Journal of Astronomical History and Heritage. 27 (3): 695–696. doi:10.3724/SP.J.1440-2807.2024.03.18. ISSN 1440-2807.
- ^ a b c d e f g Berçu, Jean-Claude. "Suzanne Débarbat (1928 – 2024) : une grande dame de l'Astronomie nous a quittés". Société astronomique de France (Astronomical Society of France) (in French). Archived from the original on 17 November 2025. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
- ^ "Debarbat, Suzanne". Persée (in French). Retrieved 18 December 2025.
- ^ "Mme Suzanne DÉBARBAT". CTHS. Archived from the original on 20 January 2025. Retrieved 18 December 2025.
- ^ "Décret du 14 mai 2001 portant promotion et nomination - Légifrance". Legifrance.gouv.fr (in French). Archived from the original on 22 April 2023. Retrieved 18 December 2025.
- ^ "Ordre des Arts et des Lettres - Nominations et promotions du 09-07-2013". France-phaleristique.com (in French). Archived from the original on 26 January 2025. Retrieved 18 December 2025.
- ^ "Prix Janssen". saf-astronomie.fr (in French). Archived from the original on 21 November 2017. Retrieved 18 December 2025.
- ^ "(15671) Suzannedebarbat = 2000 EG107 = 1977 EP6 = 1996 TU54". IAU Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 4 October 2025.