Auguste Piccard (1927)

Auguste Antoine Piccard (January 28, 1884 – March 24, 1962) was a Swiss physicist, inventor and explorer. Piccard and his twin brother Jean Felix were born in Basel, Switzerland. Showing an intense interest in science as a child, he attended the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, and became a professor of physics in Brussels at the Free University of Brussels in 1922, the same year his son Jacques Piccard was born. He was a member of the Solvay Congress of 1927. Image File history File links Auguste_Piccard_at_1927_Solvay_Conference. ... Image File history File links Auguste_Piccard_at_1927_Solvay_Conference. ... is the 28th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1884 (MDCCCLXXXIV) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Sunday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ... is the 83rd day of the year (84th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Not to be confused with physician, a person who practices medicine. ... For other uses, see Inventor (disambiguation). ... See also explorations, sea explorers, astronaut, conquistador, travelogue, the History of Science and Technology and Biography. ... Dr. Jean-Felix Piccard (Basel, Switzerland, January 28, 1884 – January 28, 1963, Minneapolis, Minnesota) was a Swiss-born American scientist and high-altitude balloonist. ... For other uses, see Basel (disambiguation). ... ETH Zurich (from its German name Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich, ETHZ) is the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zürich, Switzerland. ... A magnet levitating above a high-temperature superconductor demonstrates the Meissner effect. ... For other places with the same name, see Brussels (disambiguation). ... The Université Libre de Bruxelles (or ULB) is a French-speaking university in Brussels, Belgium. ... Year 1922 (MCMXXII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Jacques Piccard (born July 28, 1922) is a Belgian explorer and engineer, known for having developed underwater vehicles for studying ocean currents. ... The portrait of participants to the first Solvay Conference in 1911. ... Year 1927 (MCMXXVII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Career

In 1930, an interest in ballooning, and a curiosity about the upper atmosphere led him to design a spherical, pressurized aluminum gondola which would allow ascent to great altitude without requiring a pressure suit. Supported by the Belgian Fonds National de la Recherche Scientifique (FNRS) Piccard constructed his gondola. Year 1930 (MCMXXX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display 1930 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The National Fund for Scientific Research (NFSR) (Dutch: NFWO, French: FNRS) is a government institution in Belgium for supporting scientifc research. ...

On May 27, 1931, Auguste and Paul Kipfer took off from Augsburg, Germany, and reached a record altitude of 15,785 m (51,775 ft). During this flight, Piccard was able to gather substantial data on the upper atmosphere, as well as measure cosmic rays. On August 18, 1932, launched from Zürich, Switzerland, Piccard and Max Cosyns made a second record-breaking ascent to 16,200 m (53,152 ft). He ultimately made a total of twenty-seven balloon flights setting a final record of 23,000 m (72,177 ft). is the 147th day of the year (148th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1931 (MCMXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1931 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Augsburg is a city in south-central Germany. ... is the 230th day of the year (231st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1932 (MCMXXXII) was a leap year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1932 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses of Zurich, see Zurich (disambiguation). ...

In the mid-1930s, Piccard's interests shifted when he realized that a modification of some of his atmospheric balloon concepts would allow descent into the deep ocean. By 1937, he had designed a small steel gondola to withstand great external pressure. Construction began, but was interrupted by the outbreak of war. Resuming work in 1945, he completed the steel gondola for personnel and a large float was attached for buoyancy, using gasoline as the medium. To make the now floating craft sink, tons of iron were attached to the float with a release mechanism. This craft was named FNRS-2 and made a number of unmanned dives in 1948 before being given to the French navy in 1950. There, it was redesigned, and in 1954, it took a man safely down 4,176 m (13,700 ft). The 1930s (years from 1930–1939) were described as an abrupt shift to more radical and conservative lifestyles, as countries were struggling to find a solution to the Great Depression, also known as the World Depression. ... Year 1937 (MCMXXXVII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1945 (MCMXLV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar). ... The FNRS-2 was the first ever bathyscaphe built. ... Year 1948 (MCMXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the 1948 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The French Navy, officially called the National Navy (French: Marine Nationale) is the maritime arm of the French military. ... Year 1950 (MCML) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1954 (MCMLIV) was a common year (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The Bathyscaphe Trieste

With the experience of FNRS-2 Piccard and his son Jacques built the improved Bathyscaphe Trieste. Jacques Piccard made many dives, mainly off Italy, from 1954 on, before selling her to the U.S. Navy in 1957 for $250,000. On her 65th dive, the younger Piccard and Lt. Don Walsh of the U.S. Navy reached a depth 35,800 ft in the Mariana Trench, a few hundred miles from Guam, setting a new record. Jacques' book Seven Miles Down tells the full story of the FNRS-2 and Trieste. Download high resolution version (740x620, 56 KB) A Bathyscaphe Trieste is hoisted out of the water in a tropical port, circa 1958-59, soon after her purchase by the Navy. ... Download high resolution version (740x620, 56 KB) A Bathyscaphe Trieste is hoisted out of the water in a tropical port, circa 1958-59, soon after her purchase by the Navy. ... The bathyscaphe Trieste Trieste was a Swiss designed deep-diving research bathyscaphe (deep boat) with a crew of two people, which reached a record-breaking depth of about 10,900 m (about 35,760 ft), in the deepest part of the oceans, the Challenger Deep, in 1960. ... The bathyscaphe Trieste Trieste was a Swiss designed deep-diving research bathyscaphe (deep boat) with a crew of two people, which reached a record-breaking depth of about 10,900 m (about 35,760 ft), in the deepest part of the oceans, the Challenger Deep, in 1960. ... Year 1954 (MCMLIV) was a common year (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... USN redirects here. ... Year 1957 (MCMLVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1957 Gregorian calendar). ... USN redirects here. ... Mariana Trench location This article is about the geographical feature. ...

Auguste Piccard died 1962 in Lausanne, Switzerland. His grandson Bertrand Piccard also became a balloonist, taking part in the first world circumnavigation. Year 1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Lausanne (pronounced ) is a city in the French-speaking part of Switzerland, situated on the shores of Lake Geneva (French: Lac Léman), and facing Évian-les-Bains (France) and with the Jura mountains to its north. ... Dr. Bertrand Piccard (born March 1, 1958) is a Swiss psychiatrist and balloonist born in Lausanne, Vaud canton, on March 1, 1958. ...

The Piccard Family

• Auguste Piccard (physicist, aeronaut, balloonist, hydronaut)
  • Jacques Piccard (hydronaut)
    • Bertrand Piccard (aeronaut, balloonist)
• Jean Felix Piccard (organic chemist, aeronaut, and balloonist)
  • Jeannette Piccard (wife of Jean Felix) (aeronaut and balloonist)
    • Don Piccard (balloonist)
      • Sarah Piccard (great-granddaughter of Auguste)

Jacques Piccard (born July 28, 1922) is a Belgian explorer and engineer, known for having developed underwater vehicles for studying ocean currents. ... Dr. Bertrand Piccard (born March 1, 1958) is a Swiss psychiatrist and balloonist born in Lausanne, Vaud canton, on March 1, 1958. ... Dr. Jean-Felix Piccard (Basel, Switzerland, January 28, 1884 – January 28, 1963, Minneapolis, Minnesota) was a Swiss-born American scientist and high-altitude balloonist. ... Jeannette Ridlon Piccard (5 January 1895 – 17 May 1981) was an American aeronaut who pioneered balloon flight, a teacher, scientist and priest. ... Don Piccard is a Swiss-American balloonist. ...

Trivia

Professor Calculus (Professeur Tournesol)

• Auguste Piccard was the inspiration for Professor Cuthbert Calculus (French: Professeur Tryphon Tournesol, Dutch: Professor Zonnebloem, German: Professor Bienlein, Spanish: Profesor Tornasol, Arabic: بروفيسور برجل) in The Adventures of Tintin by Belgian cartoonist Hergé.

This connection was confirmed by Hergé in a 1948 interview with Numa Sadoul "Calculus is a reduced scale Piccard, as the real chap was very tall. He had an interminable neck that sprouted from a collar that was much too large... I made Calculus a mini-Piccard, otherwise I would have had to enlarge the frames of the cartoon strip." ^[1]

Piccard held a teaching appointment in Brussels where Hergé spotted his unmistakeable figure in the street.

• Gene Roddenberry named Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek for one or both of the twin brothers Auguste and Jean Felix Piccard, and derived Jean-Luc Picard from their names.^[2]

Professor Cuthbert Calculus, detail of a panel from the book Red Rackhams Treasure by Hergé, 1944 Fair use under US law. ... Professor Cuthbert Calculus, detail of a panel from the book Red Rackhams Treasure by Hergé, 1944 Fair use under US law. ... Tintin and Snowy (Tintin et Milou) are world travellers and inseparable friends in The Adventures of Tintin. ... The main characters and others from The Castafiore Emerald, one of the later books The Adventures of Tintin (French: ) is a series of Belgian comic books created by Belgian artist Hergé, the pen name of Georges Remi (1907–1983). ... Georges Remi (May 22, 1907 – March 3, 1983), better known by the pen name Hergé, was a Belgian comics writer and artist. ... Eugene Wesley Roddenberry (August 19, 1921 – October 24, 1991) was an American scriptwriter and producer. ... Jean-Luc Picard is a fictional human Star Trek character portrayed by actor Patrick Stewart. ... The title as it appeared in most episodes opening credits. ... Dr. Jean-Felix Piccard (Basel, Switzerland, January 28, 1884 – January 28, 1963, Minneapolis, Minnesota) was a Swiss-born American scientist and high-altitude balloonist. ...

Notes

is the 23rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 29th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Auguste Piccard

• Don Piccard - 50 Years of Ballooning Memories