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{{Short description|French abbot and scientist (1618–1694)}}
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{{Infobox scientist
| birth_date = 1618
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| death_date = {{death date |1694|09|28|df=yes}} (aged about 76)
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| citizenship = <!-- use only when necessary per ] -->
| fields = Mathematics and astronomy
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| known_for = Proposing a natural standard of length based on the circumference of the Earth.
}}
'''Gabriel Mouton''' (1618 &ndash; 28 September 1694) was a French ] and ]. He was a doctor of theology from ], but was also interested in ] and ]. His 1670 book, the ''Observationes diametrorum solis et lunae apparentium'', proposed a natural standard of length based on the circumference of the Earth, divided decimally. It was influential in the adoption of the ] in 1799.


== The milliare ==
'''Gabriel Mouton''' (] &ndash; ] ]) was a ] abbot and scientist. He was a doctor of theology from ], but was also interested in mathematics and astronomy.


{| class="wikitable floatright"
⚫ His ] book, the ''Observationes diametrorum solis et lunae apparentium'', came to form the basis of what was to become the ] hundred years later. Based on the the measurements of the size of the ] conducted by ] of Bologna (at 321,815 Bologna feet to the degree), Mouton proposed a ] system of measurement based on the circumference of the Earth, explaining the advantages of a system based on nature.
|+ '''The system of units'''
|-
! Name !! Multiple of ''virga'' !! Approx. equivalents
|-
| Milliare || 1000 || 1 minute of arc, 2&nbsp;km, 1 nautical mile
|-
| Centuria || 100 || 200 m
|-
| Decuria || 10 || 20 m
|-
| Virga || 1 || 2 m, 1 Parisian ''toise''
|-
| Virgula || 0.1 || 20&nbsp;cm
|-
| Decima || 0.01 || 2&nbsp;cm
|-
| Centesima || 0.001 || 2&nbsp;mm
|-
| Millesima || 0.0001 || 0.2&nbsp;mm
|}


⚫ Based on the measurements of the size of the ] conducted by ] of Bologna (at 321,815 Bologna feet to the degree), Mouton proposed a ] system of measurement based on the circumference of the Earth, explaining the advantages of a system based on nature.
His suggestion was a unit, ''milliare'', that was defined as a ] along a ]. He then suggested a system of sub-units, dividing successively by factors of ten into the ''centuria'', ''decuria'', ''virga'', ''virgula'', ''decima'', ''centesima'', and ''millesima''.


The base unit would be the ''virga'', 1/1000 of a minute of arc, corresponding to 64.4 Bologna inches, or ~2.04 m. This was reasonably close to then current unit of length, the Parisian ''toise'' (~1.95 m) &ndash; a feature which was meant to make acceptance of the new unit easier. His suggestion was a unit, the ''milliare'', that was defined as a ] along a ], and a system of sub-units, dividing successively by factors of ten into the ''centuria'', ''decuria'', ''virga'', ''virgula'', ''decima'', ''centesima'', and ''millesima''.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_RnRltZ_INg8C |quote=decuria. |title=Observationes diametrorum solis |publisher=Ex Typographia Matthaei Liberal |access-date=22 February 2016 |last=Mouton |first=Gabriel |year=1670}}</ref> The ''virga'', 1/1000 of a minute of arc, corresponding to 64.4 Bologna inches, or ~2.04 m, was reasonably close to the then current unit of length, the Parisian ''toise'' (~1.95 m) &ndash; a feature which was meant to make acceptance of the new unit easier.
⚫ For practical reasons, Mouton suggested that the actual standard be based on ] movement, so that a pendulum located in Lyon of length one ''virgula'' (1/10 ''virga'') would change direction 3959.2 times in half an hour. The resulting pendulum would have a length of ~20.54 cm. <!-- Using a 45° latitude ] of 9.80665 gives ~20.538 cm. -->


⚫ As a practical implementation, Mouton suggested that the actual standard be based on ] movement, so that a pendulum located in Lyon of length one ''virgula'' (1/10 ''virga'') would change direction 3959.2 times in half an hour. The resulting pendulum would have a length of ~20.54&nbsp;cm. <!-- Using a 45° latitude ] of 9.80665 gives ~20.538 cm. -->
⚫ His ideas attracted interest at the time, and were supported by ] as well as ] in 1673, and also studied at ] in ]. In 1673, ] independently made proposals similar to those of Mouton.


⚫ His ideas attracted interest at the time, and were supported by ] as well as ] in 1673, and also studied at ] in ].{{clarify|date=January 2020}} In 1673, ] independently made proposals similar to those of Mouton.
⚫ It would be over a century later, however, that the ] weights and measures committee suggested the decimal ] that defined the '']'' as, at least initially, a division of the circumference of the Earth. The first official adoption of this system occured in France in ].


⚫ It would be over a century later, however, that the ] weights and measures committee suggested the decimal ] that defined the ''Metre'' as, at least initially, a division of the circumference of the Earth. The first official adoption of this system occurred in France in 1791.
⚫ By todays measures, his ''milliare'' corresponds directly to a ], and his ''virga'' would by definition have been 1.852 m.


⚫ By today's measures, his ''milliare'' corresponds directly to a nautical mile, and his ''virga'' would by definition have been 1.852 m.
{{France-bio-stub}}

==See also==
*]
*]

== Notes ==
{{Reflist}}

== References ==
⚫ * ]: , 1901, chapter ''Les precurseurs de la reforme des poids et mesures''
* ]: ''Historie de l'astronomie'', Paris 1873


==External links== ==External links==
⚫ *
* *
*{{MacTutor Biography|id=Mouton}}
*
* *


{{systems of measurement}}
⚫ ]

⚫ ]
{{Authority control}}
⚫ ]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mouton, Gabriel}}
⚫ ]
⚫ ]
⚫ ]
]
]

Latest revision as of 19:41, 12 October 2023

French abbot and scientist (1618–1694)

Gabriel Mouton
Born1618
Died(1694-09-28)28 September 1694 (aged about 76)
Known forProposing a natural standard of length based on the circumference of the Earth.
Scientific career
FieldsMathematics and astronomy

Gabriel Mouton (1618 – 28 September 1694) was a French abbot and scientist. He was a doctor of theology from Lyon, but was also interested in mathematics and astronomy. His 1670 book, the Observationes diametrorum solis et lunae apparentium, proposed a natural standard of length based on the circumference of the Earth, divided decimally. It was influential in the adoption of the metric system in 1799.

The milliare

The system of units
Name Multiple of virga Approx. equivalents
Milliare 1000 1 minute of arc, 2 km, 1 nautical mile
Centuria 100 200 m
Decuria 10 20 m
Virga 1 2 m, 1 Parisian toise
Virgula 0.1 20 cm
Decima 0.01 2 cm
Centesima 0.001 2 mm
Millesima 0.0001 0.2 mm

Based on the measurements of the size of the Earth conducted by Riccioli of Bologna (at 321,815 Bologna feet to the degree), Mouton proposed a decimal system of measurement based on the circumference of the Earth, explaining the advantages of a system based on nature.

His suggestion was a unit, the milliare, that was defined as a minute of arc along a meridian arc, and a system of sub-units, dividing successively by factors of ten into the centuria, decuria, virga, virgula, decima, centesima, and millesima. The virga, 1/1000 of a minute of arc, corresponding to 64.4 Bologna inches, or ~2.04 m, was reasonably close to the then current unit of length, the Parisian toise (~1.95 m) – a feature which was meant to make acceptance of the new unit easier.

As a practical implementation, Mouton suggested that the actual standard be based on pendulum movement, so that a pendulum located in Lyon of length one virgula (1/10 virga) would change direction 3959.2 times in half an hour. The resulting pendulum would have a length of ~20.54 cm.

His ideas attracted interest at the time, and were supported by Jean Picard as well as Huygens in 1673, and also studied at Royal Society in London. In 1673, Leibniz independently made proposals similar to those of Mouton.

It would be over a century later, however, that the French Academy of Sciences weights and measures committee suggested the decimal metric system that defined the Metre as, at least initially, a division of the circumference of the Earth. The first official adoption of this system occurred in France in 1791.

By today's measures, his milliare corresponds directly to a nautical mile, and his virga would by definition have been 1.852 m.

See also

Notes

  1. Mouton, Gabriel (1670). Observationes diametrorum solis. Ex Typographia Matthaei Liberal. Retrieved 22 February 2016. decuria.

References

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