Dominique Arago

Dominique Arago (1786-1853), French astronomer and physicist, who discovered the phenomenon of the production of magnetism by rotation and proved the relationship between the aurora and variations in terrestrial magnetism. Arago was born in Estagel and educated at the École Polytechnique in Paris. At the age of 23 he was elected a member of the Academy of Sciences and was appointed Professor of Analytical Geometry and Geodesy at the École Polytechnique. His later studies were in astronomy, magnetism, and light polarization.