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Who is behind VPA ? Two astronomy passioned friends, each one in a special domain (The Moon and planets for the first and astronomy computing and programming for the second) whose reunion has permitted the VPA realization.
This one is also provided to worlwide observers because of the help of numerous free translators that must be also thanked for their personal job.
Patrick Chevalley (left) and Christian Legrand (right) / © J. Legrand
Christian LEGRAND
Conceiver of the “Virtual Moon Atlas” and now of the “Virtual Planets Atlas”, Christian Legrand is a passionated Moon and planets observer, who has been impressed by space exploration.
In 1995, he had yet realized and edited a database about lunar formations with a managing software called “ DB-LUNE ” and illustrated with pictures of Etienne Lecoq.
In 2000, He wrote with Jean Lacroux "Discover the Moon", a beginner's guide soon published by Cambridge University Press, and now also published in german and spanish. This guide presents, as Virtual Moon Atlas, the lunar formations with their exact orientation in various instruments.
From 2006 January to 2008, he wrote the Blog "Images lunaires" that periodically presents the french translation of the site “Lunar Picture of the day” (LPOD) by Charles Wood.
Between 2007 March and 2008, he was also editor in the french magazine "Espace Magazine" and was in charge of the page “Lunar Tourism” that presents interesting lunar sites for observing.
Since june 2014, He has founded his own society “DESTINATION UNIVERS”, dedicated to astronomy lectures and public observing sessions.
http://www.ap-i.net/destiunivers
About “Virtual planets Atlas”, Christian Legrand is in charge of :
- General conception and evolution of the atlas
- Informations search and typing for database
- Maps and overlays search and pre processing for Patrick inclusion in VPA
- Authorizations requests of specialized scientific organisms
- Documentation and Web pages writing
- Mails answer when they are about databases
Professionally, Christian Legrand was engineer in the french Ministry in charge of industry. He is now retired.
Born in 1953, he lives in France in Normandy.
Patrick CHEVALLEY
Patrick Chevalley is worldwide known for his excellent celestial cartography freeware "Sky Charts".
In fact, he begun to program this kind of software in 1984.
Without his knowledges in programing and his Web practice, “Virtual Planets Atlas” will not be born.
He is also an active member of the “Société Astronomique de Genève”.
About “VPA”, Patrick Chevalley has in charge :
- Software interface conception
- Software programing
- Software maps adaptation
- Translations managing and contacts with translators
- Web site and forum managing
- Mails answer when they are about software and translations
Professionally, Patrick Chevalley is now also retired. He was computing engineer in the Geneva town administration.
Born in 1958, he is married and father of two children.
He now lives in France, in the Cevennes mountains.
