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Interferometry and Monochromatic Imaging at the Marseille Observatory

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Interferometry and Monochromatic Imaging at the Marseille Observatory Journal of Astronomical History and Heritage, 24(2), 247– 284 (2021). INTERFEROMETRY AND MONOCHROMATIC IMAGING AT THE MARSEILLE OBSERVATORY Yvon Georgelin Observatoire de Marseille/LAM 38 rue Frédéric Joliot-Curie, 13013 Marseille, France E-mail: [email protected] and James Lequeux LERMA, Observatoire de Paris-PSL-Sorbonne Université, 61 Avenue de l’Observatoire, 75014 Paris, France E-mail: [email protected] ABSTRACT: We first give a brief history of the astronomical observatory in Marseilles, which was founded in 1702. Then, we describe the first attempt to measure at this Observatory the angular diameter of stars by interferometry, in 1873–1874. Because the size of the remarkable Foucault telescope that was used by Édouard Stéphan for this program was only 80 cm, none of the bright stars were resolved, and the upper limit to their diameters was given as 1/6 of an arcsecond. This result was however a very significant advance, as only fancy figures had been given previously for stellar diameters. The next incursion in interferometry of the Marseille Observatory took place in 1911–1914, when Charles Fabry and Henri Buisson measured with the same telescope the radial velocity and the temperature of the Orion Nebula, using the Pérot–Fabry interferometer developed at the Marseille University. After World War II, the Observatory underwent a complete renewal. Then Georges Courtès used interference filters to obtain deep photographs of HII regions, and Pérot–Fabry interferometers for measuring their radial velocities. We describe the very important instrumental advances realized for this program, in particular the focal reducers that allowed a considerable increase in sensitivity. The final result obtained by Courtès and his collaborators was a complete Hα survey of the Milky Way, which was the basis for a new description of the structure of our Galaxy, with four spiral arms, and a detailed Hα survey of the Magellanic Clouds. The distribution of HII regions in the closest galaxies was also observed and their velocity fields determined. In 1963, Courtès built the first integral field spectrograph, based on an array of micro-lenses; it had a great success, so that similar instruments are mounted at the focus of the largest present and future telescopes. KEYWORDS: HII regions, Galactic structure, Magellanic clouds, M 33, M 31, Wide-field camera, Focal reducer, Fabry–Pérot interferometer, Monochromatic imaging, Micro-lenses array, Integral field spectrometer. Like the companion paper “The Rise of Ultraviolet Astronomy in France” in the March 2021 issue of this journal (Lequeux, 2021), this new paper also is dedicated to the memory of Georges Courtès, who died on 30 October 2019, aged 94. 1 A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE However, the first observatory in Marseil- OBSERVATORIES IN les was only founded in 1702 by the Jesuits, MARSEILLES in their house of the Montée des Accoules, Astronomy in Provence has a rather glorious through the action of Jean-Mathieu de Cha- early history, thanks primarily to Nicolas Fabri zelles (1657–1710), Professor of Hydrography de Peiresc (1580–1637; Gassendi, 1657). at the Arsenal of galleys, who had worked Peiresc observed the satellites of Jupiter from with Jean-Dominique Cassini in Paris and managed to obtain subsidies from King Louis his house in Aix-en-Provence immediately 1 after their discovery by Galileo, determined XIV. In 1749, this observatory was promot- their period of revolution with a remarkable ed as the ‘Royal Observatory of the Navy’ accuracy, and prepared ephemerides of their after the suppression of the galleys: in this position; before Galileo, he had the idea to way it acquired a national character, preserv- use their eclipses to determine longitudes ed until today. In 1781, it was united with the (Tolbert, 1999), although he realized that this local Academy of Sciences, which renovated method would not be practical at sea. He the building that contained the Observatory, discovered the Orion Nebula at the end of where it held its meetings (Figure 1). After 1610 (Bigourdan, 1916). Peiresc also organ- the suppression of this Academy in 1793, dur- ized a determination of longitudes of several ing the French Revolution, the Observatory Mediterranean harbors using the lunar eclipse was preserved and remained active until its transfer to another location in 1862–1863. The of 28 August 1635, and found the East–West extent of the Mediterranean Sea too large by building is presently an elementary school, but the historical part survives, including the 1000 km (Miller, 2000). 247 Yvon Georgelin and James Lequeux Interferometry and Imaging at Marseille Observatory Figure 1: Marseille Observatory, Montée des Accoules, at the end of the eighteenth century (© Musée de la Marine, Chambre de Commerce et d’Industrie de Marseille-Provence). astronomical tower but without the three The Accoules Observatory was initially domes. directed by Jesuits: Father Antoine-François In parallel, there was from 1714 another de Laval (1664–1728), another pupil of de observatory in the city: that of Father Louis Chazelles, then after his death Father Esprit Feuillée (1660–1732), of the order of Min- Pézenas (1692–1776), until the suppression imes, a pupil of de Chazelles. Feuillée did not of Jesuits in France in 1763. Guillaume de observe very often, as he was mainly trav- Saint-Jacques de Silvabelle (1722–1801) elling in central and southern America, es- succeeded him, then Jacques-Joseph Thulis sentially as a botanist. However, he deter- (1748–1810) until his death, Jean-Jacques mined the longitudes of several towns using Blanpain (1777–1843) until 1822, Jean-Félix eclipses of the satellites of Jupiter, and some Adolphe Gambart (1800–1836) until his pre- of his observations are of high interest, in mature death and finally Benjamin Valz (1787 –1867), who retired in 1860. particular that of the very rare occultation of a bright star by Jupiter observed at Coquimbo The eighteenth-century Observatory was on 6 April 1710: this gives the most ancient rather well equipped through Royal subsidies, precise measurement of the position of the in particular with a reflecting Gregorian tele- planet. After the death of Feuillée, the Min- scope by Short (it is preserved together with imes were no longer interested in astronomy, other instruments and books of the Observa- Feuillée’s observatory was closed and the tory). However, the personnel were limited to salary attached to his position was transfer- the Director, an astronomer-adjunct (after red to the other observatory. 1777) and a concierge. The activities were rather classical and of good quality according to Jean Bernoulli (1744–1807), who visited the Observatory in 1774, and Baron Franz- Xaver von Zach (1754–1832). A real break- through occurred when the concierge, Jean- Louis Pons (1761–1831, Figure 2), discover- ed a comet in 1801 with a telescope he had built himself (Figure 3). He had been trained in astronomy by Silvabelle, who was himself a specialist of comets and had worked on the return of Comet 1P/Halley. Pons, who dis- covered no fewer than 23 comets from Mar- seilles, was promoted to astronomer-adjunct in 1813. He was invited to Italy to become the first Director of the Marlia Observatory, near Lucca in 1819, where he discovered seven more comets. In 1825, he was appointed Director of the Florence Observatory and dis- Figure 2: Jean-Louis Pons (courtesy: covered seven further comets before his Marseille Observatory). death (Bianchi, 2020). Pons was the most 248 Yvon Georgelin and James Lequeux Interferometry and Imaging at Marseille Observatory prolific discoverer of comets ever. two years and was enclosed in a quarter with For his part, Jean-Félix Adolphe Gambart small narrow streets, whereas Le Verrier wish- discovered 13 comets from Marseilles, and ed for an open site, well away from important he demonstrated that the comet discovered in buildings. The site chosen for the new Mar- 1826 by Biela was in fact periodic and had seille Observatory was on the Longchamp already been observed in 1772 and 1805. Plateau, which was almost entirely surround- Arago says in his eulogy (Arago, 1855: 450): ed by public gardens. In fact, there was al- ready a great deal of construction going on in A great natural facility, and habit, had led the area, but very little industry, and public the young correspondent of the Academy of sciences to make in a few hours lighting had yet to annoy astronomers. A complicated calculations which formerly decree of 1863 established Marseille Obser- would have required several days. (our vatory as “… a branch of the Paris Observa- translation). tory”. (Lequeux, 2013: 121). The German astronomer Ernst Wilhelm Le Verrier sent Auguste Voigt (1828– Tempel (1821–1889), who between 1860 and 1909) to supervise the on-site operations as 1870 observed from Marseille Observatory, an adjunct astronomer, in replacement of discovered eight comets during his stay (plus Simon. Overloaded with work and pressure seven elsewhere, four asteroids and several from Le Verrier, Voigt resigned in 1866 and tens of nebulae, including those around the Pleiades). Marseilles was at the forefront of cometary and nebular astronomy! As for Benjamin Valz, his main interest was in asteroids, and his student, Jean Chacornac (1823–1873) discovered Phocea in 1853, and then four more asteroids before he trans- ferred to Paris Observatory in 1857. In spite of this activity, the instrument- ation of the Observatory was progressively becoming obsolete, because the Bureau des Longitudes, which was in charge of all French astronomy since the Revolution, preferred to send outmoded Parisian instruments to the provincial observatories rather than pay for new ones. Thus, these observatories were destined to decline; indeed, Marseille Ob- servatory almost closed down in 1860 when Valz retired, although he was replaced by Charles Simon (1825–1880) for two years.
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