Alexis Bouvard

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Alexis Bouvard (June 27, 1767 – June 7, 1843) was a French astronomer, born in Contamines, France.

Bouvard's achievements included the discovery of eight comets and the compilation of astronomical tables of Jupiter, Saturn and Uranus. While the former two tables were eminently successful, the latter showed substantial discrepancies with subsequent observations. This led Bouvard to hypothesise the existence of an eighth planet responsible for the irregularities in Uranus' orbit. The position of Neptune was subsequently calculated, independently, by John Couch Adams and Urbain Le Verrier after his death.

Bouvard was director of the Paris Observatory. He died in Paris.

In Australia, a cape known as Cape Bouvard has been named after him when French sailors discovered Western Australia. Bouvard is also a small Australian city south of Perth on the coast.

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