He was the son of François-Théodore, Hospital director, and of Louise Saladin. He was born in
Geneva. He studied astronomy with
Jean-Alfred Gautier and worked with
François Arago in Paris,
Alexander von Humboldt and
Johann Franz Encke in Berlin,
Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel at the
University of Königsberg and
Carl Friedrich Gauss at the
University of Göttingen. He was the fourth director of the
Observatory of Geneva from 1839 to 1882 (43 years) and honorary professor at the Academy of Geneva; then professor at the
University of Geneva when it was established in 1873. He was three times rector of the Academy. Under his direction, the Observatory of Geneva constructed a structure for magnetic observations, an extension of the main building and a new room for an
equatorial mount. His scientific works involved astronomy, meteorology, chronometry, magnetism, geodesy and gravimetry. He died in Geneva in 1882. ==Works==