Nicole-Reine Lepaute | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Nicole-Reine Étable de la Brière 5 January 1723 |
| Died | 6 December 1788 (aged 65) |
| Nationality | French |
| Other names | Hortense Lepaute |
| Known for | Halley's Comet |
| Spouse | Jean-André Lepaute (1749-1788) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | |
| Notable students | Joseph Lepaute Dagelet |
Nicole-Reine Lepaute (French pronunciation: [nikɔl ʁɛn ləpot]; née Étable de la Brière, 5 January 1723 – 6 December 1788), also erroneously known as Hortense Lepaute, was a French astronomer and human computer. Lepaute along with Alexis Clairaut and Jérôme Lalande calculated the date of the return of Halley's Comet. Her other astronomical feats include calculating the 1764 solar eclipse and producing almanacs from 1759 to 1783. She was also a member of the Scientific Académie de Béziers.
The asteroid 7720 Lepaute is named in her honour, as is the lunar crater Lepaute.