Cassini family

   A family of French astronomers and geodesists who served as directors of the Paris observatory for four generations. Jean-Dominique Cassini (16251712), known as Cassini i, was born in Perinaldo, near Nice. He is the author of numerous works on the planets Jupiter, Mars, and Venus, and discovered two satellites of Saturn. He was named to the Academy of Sciences in 1669. Jacques Cassini, or Cassini II (1677-1756), the son of Jean-Dominique Cassini, was born in Paris and is considered to be the founder of topographic cartography. He produced works on the representation of the surface of Earth, and was named to the Academy of Sciences in 1699. César Cassini, or Cassini III (1714-84), born in Thury, created an unfinished map of France on the scale of 1:86,400, which served as the model for such works until the middle of the 19th century, when it was replaced by more advanced charts. César Cassini was named to the Academy of Sciences in 1735. Dominique, count de Cassini (1748-1845), the son of César Cassini, was born in Paris and completed the map begun by his father. He was named to the Academy of Sciences in 1770.