Emile Plantamour
Emile Plantamour or Émile Plantamour was a Swiss astronomer.
Biography
He was the son of François-Théodore, Hospital director, and of Louise Saladin. He was born in Geneva.He studied astronomy with Jean-Alfred Gautier and worked with François Arago in Paris, Alexander von Humboldt and Johann [Franz Encke] in Berlin, Friedrich [Wilhelm Bessel] at the University of Königsberg and Carl [Friedrich Gauss] at the University of Göttingen.
He was the fourth director of the Observatory of Geneva from 1839 to 1882 and honorary professor at the Academy of Geneva; then professor at the University of Geneva when it was established in 1873. He was three times rector of the Academy.
Under his direction, the Observatory of Geneva constructed a structure for magnetic observations, an extension of the main building and a new room for an equatorial mount.
His scientific works involved astronomy, meteorology, chronometry, magnetism, geodesy and gravimetry.
He died in Geneva in 1882.