Gabriel Mouton | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1618 |
| Died | 28 September 1694 (aged about 76) |
| Known for | Proposing a natural standard of length based on the circumference of the Earth. |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Mathematics 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.