The grand father of my grand father has a special place in the history of my family.
Even if of course I’m just so far away from him, his life inspired me and if I start a PhD some day, he will certainly have had an impact on my motivation. Only memorabilia I have of him is his PhD in Mathematics diploma.
The CNAM just had a presentation of his works, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the IAU International astronomical union, which he founded in 1919 while he was director of the Paris Observatory, at the times of the third republic.
He was born in a very normal family in Chalon sur Soane, his dad was a city hall employee, and at a young age people noticed that he was gifted so he got some scholarships. He then went to Lyon to prepare exams. At 18, he gets in the Ecole Normale Superieure. 3 years later, he is then “Normalien agrégé” in Mathematics. Then he has to work 10 years for the State, as teacher and assistant at the Paris observatory. At age 31, he is promoted Director of the Toulouse Observatory and Dean of the science faculty of Toulouse. At age 60, he candidates for becoming director of the Paris Observatory. He then becomes as well president of the Astronomical Society of France and of the International astronomical union. He died aged 86, in 1936 in Toulouse.
3 step brothers from the same ENS graduation year: Edmond Bouty (the sister of his wife married Benjamin), Jules Tannery (future director of the ENS and husband of Benjamin’s sister), Benjamin Baillaud, who stayed very close all their lives.
First job as a highschool teacher. Very “republicain”, against Bonaparte.
Thesis on the pertubation of comets movements.
At 24 he writes: “I’ve always been ambitious, although I forgot to be intriguing”
Family picture while Benjamin Baillaud is 50 years old in Toulouse. 8 children.
Pierre and René (who became astromer too), fake twins.
Henri and Madeleine, twins.
Jules, astronomer
Helene
Madeleine
Wife Helene Baillaud, pillar of the family.
1916 painting, Academy of Science
Jules Baillaud and René Baillaud also became astronomers.
6000 letters exchanged among the family members
Saint Sernin church has astronomical maps / sky charts from the 13th century.
1229, Toulouse university was founded… 30 years before Paris Sorbonne University!
Long tradition of Astronomy in Toulouse
“Do Dogs have a soul? Dogs have a soul, just a small one.”
History of the IAU, Adriaan Blaauw
