1-152-561 - Ann Ronan Picture Library/Heritage-Images

Jean Dominique Cassini (1625-1712), Italian-born French astronomer. In the background is the Paris Observatory which Cassini directed for many years from 1671. Cassini was the first astronomer to observe the moons of Saturn and the division in the planet's rings named for him. He is also credited, together with Robert Hooke, with the first observation of the Great Red Spot on Jupiter.