Nicolas Fatio de Duillier
| Nicolas Fatio de Duillier | |
|---|---|
Nicolas Fatio
|
|
| Born |
February 26, 1664 Basel, Swiss Confederacy |
| Died | May 12, 1753 (aged 89) Maddersfield near Worcester, England, Great Britain |
| Nationality | Swiss |
| Fields | Mathematics |
| Known for | The study of Zodiacal light |
| Influences | Isaac Newton |
Nicolas Fatio de Duillier (alternative names are Facio or Faccio; 26 February 1664 – 12 May 1753) was a Swiss mathematician known for his work on the zodiacal light problem, for his very close relationship with Isaac Newton, for his role in the Newton v. Leibniz calculus controversy, and for originating the "push" or "shadow" theory of gravitation. He also developed and patented a method of perforating jewels for use in clocks.
Fatio was born in Basel, Switzerland, in 1664, the seventh of fourteen children of Jean-Baptiste and Cathérine Fatio. The family moved in 1672 to Duillier.
Before he was eighteen, Fatio wrote to the astronomer Giovanni Domenico Cassini, suggesting a new method of determining the Sun's distance from the Earth and an explanation of the form of Saturn's ring. Encouraged by Cassini's reply, he went to Paris in the spring of 1682, and was kindly received. Fatio began astronomical studies under Cassini at the Parisian observatory. In 1683, Cassini presented his theory of the zodiacal light. Fatio followed his observations, repeated them at Geneva in 1684, and gave in 1685 new and important developments of this theory. They were published in his Lettre à M. Cassini … touchant une lumière extraordinaire qui paroît dans le ciel depuis quelques années.
Fatio returned to Geneva in October 1683. During the following year, he became acquainted with Fenil, a Piedmontese count, who, after offending the Duke of Savoy and the King of France, took refuge in the house of Fatio's maternal grandfather in Alsace, and then at Duillier. Fenil confided to Fatio a plan for kidnapping William of Orange at Scheveling, and produced a letter from Louvois offering the king's pardon, approving of the plan, and enclosing an order for money. Fatio revealed the plot to his friend Gilbert Burnet, whom he accompanied to Holland in 1686 in order to explain it to the prince. (That year, he made the acquaintance of Jakob Bernoulli and Christiaan Huygens, with whom he developed a particularly close cooperation, working together especially on the calculus.) It was decided to reward Fatio, whose abilities were certified by Huygens, with a mathematical professorship, with a house and a commencing salary of twelve hundred florins. The prince also promised him a private pension. While these plans were delayed, Fatio received permission to visit England in the spring of 1687.
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