The intellectual property of the astronomical calculations in question : A case of counterfeiting of nautical and astronomical ephemerides at Saint-Brieuc and its influence on the Connaissance des Temps, a flagship publication of the Bureau des longitudes (1870-1887)

Résumé 0

In 1885, the Bureau des longitudes (i.e., the French Board of longitude) had to adapt the ephemerides of the Connaissance des temps in order to answer the needs of the sailors. By investigating the use of the ephemerides in the ports, the Bureau des longitudes discovered that another Ephemerides Maritimes (nautical ephemeris) had also been published for almost five decades. This second ephemeris was published in Saint-Brieuc and was based on the CDT. In other terms, we have a telling example of counterfeit, which was discussed in front of the Court of Rennes. This article shows that the judgment by this Court raised the crucial question of the intellectual property of the astronomical calculations. It also discusses the lack of an answer from the Bureau des longitudes to provide a simplified edition of the ephemerides for sailors despite the regular requests.