Nicole Capitaine


Nicole Capitaine is an astronomer at the Paris Observatory who is known as an expert on astrometry and related standards.
WWW syrte.obspm.fr/~capitaine

Early life and education

In 1969, Capitaine received a bachelor's degree from the Faculty of Sciences in Paris in mathematics. In 1970 she graduated with a degree in astronomy from Pierre and Marie Curie University. The same year she joined the Paris Observatory as an assistant. She then held several positions there before becoming an astronomer in charge of research. In 1972, she received a PhD in astronomy at the Pierre and Marie Curie University. In 1982, she wrote her habilitation thesis, giving her the status of direct researcher.

Research career

Capitaine became deputy director of the Department of Fundamental Astronomy at the Paris Observatory in 1985. She became the director in 1993. Her scientific activity was carried out mainly within the framework of the Space Geodesy Research Group, as well as various working groups of the International Astronomical Union. In 2002, still at the Paris Observatory, she became a full-time astronomer in the SYRTE department. From 2003 to 2007, she served as a member of the Standing Committee for Science and Metrology co-chaired by Christian Bordé and Jean Kovalevsky. In 2013, she retired and became an emeritus astronomer.
Her work, carried out in the framework of a large international cooperation, led to a better definition of reference systems and time scales for astronomy, as well as to a better knowledge of the rotation of the Earth. They have also led to the adoption by the IAU and IUGG of new parameters and models for astronomy and geodesy, which are essential for many applications to space dynamics and the dynamics of the Solar System.

Awards and honors