Nicole-Reine Lepaute

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Nicole-Reine Étable de la Brière Lepaute (1723-1788) was a French astronomer. Her husband Jean André Lepaute —whom she married in 1748— was a royal clockmaker.

In 1762 Lepaute calculated the exact time of a coming solar eclipse in 1764. She wrote an article in which she gave a map of the eclipse's extent in 15-minute intervals across Europe. The article was published in Connaissance des temps (Knowledge of the times). She also correctly predicted the return of Halley's Comet in 1759.

She worked with Alexis Clairault and Jérôme Lalande in the calculation of the attraction of Jupiter and Saturn on Halley's Comet. Jérôme Lalande acknowledged her help in an article.

Nichole also created a group of catologs of the stars which were essential for the future of Astronomy.

The asteroid 7720 Lepaute is named in her honour.