Henri Jacques Chrétien | |
---|---|
Born | 1 February 1879 |
Died | 6 February 1956 |
Nationality | French |
Scientific career | |
Fields | Astronomy |
Institutions |
Nice Observatory École supérieure d'optique |
Henri Jacques Chrétien (French pronunciation: [ɑ̃ʁi ʒak kʁetjɛ̃]; 1 February 1879, Paris – 6 February 1956, Washington, D.C.) [1] was a French astronomer and an inventor.
Born in
Paris,
France, his most famous inventions are:
- the
anamorphic
widescreen process, using an anamorphic lens system called
Hypergonar, that resulted in the
CinemaScope
widescreen technique, and
- the co-invention, with
George Willis Ritchey, of the
Ritchey–Chrétien telescope, an improved type of
astronomical
telescope, employing a system now used in virtually all large research telescopes.
He spent part of his early astronomical career at the Nice Observatory, which was close to his house, the Villa Paradou. The Villa was built by famous French architect Charles Garnier [2][ citation needed] who also built the Nice Observatory and both the operas of Paris and Monaco. In 1995, the abandoned villa was acquired by the artist Rainer Maria Latzke, who restored it and added new murals to the existing frescoes.
Chrétien was one of the founders of the Institut d'optique théorique et appliquée and professor at the French "grande école" SupOptique ( École supérieure d'optique).
Henri Jacques Chrétien | |
---|---|
Born | 1 February 1879 |
Died | 6 February 1956 |
Nationality | French |
Scientific career | |
Fields | Astronomy |
Institutions |
Nice Observatory École supérieure d'optique |
Henri Jacques Chrétien (French pronunciation: [ɑ̃ʁi ʒak kʁetjɛ̃]; 1 February 1879, Paris – 6 February 1956, Washington, D.C.) [1] was a French astronomer and an inventor.
Born in
Paris,
France, his most famous inventions are:
- the
anamorphic
widescreen process, using an anamorphic lens system called
Hypergonar, that resulted in the
CinemaScope
widescreen technique, and
- the co-invention, with
George Willis Ritchey, of the
Ritchey–Chrétien telescope, an improved type of
astronomical
telescope, employing a system now used in virtually all large research telescopes.
He spent part of his early astronomical career at the Nice Observatory, which was close to his house, the Villa Paradou. The Villa was built by famous French architect Charles Garnier [2][ citation needed] who also built the Nice Observatory and both the operas of Paris and Monaco. In 1995, the abandoned villa was acquired by the artist Rainer Maria Latzke, who restored it and added new murals to the existing frescoes.
Chrétien was one of the founders of the Institut d'optique théorique et appliquée and professor at the French "grande école" SupOptique ( École supérieure d'optique).