In the mid-1800s gentlemen scholars, typified by an abundance of both time and money, often dabbled in science to stave off boredom. While most of these "professional amateurs" produced nothing of worth, occasionally one would appear who possessed both true interest and an aptitude for science. Such a man was Armand Fizeau.

Fizeau was born in Paris. His father held the chair of internal medicine at Paris' Faculty of Medicine, which brought the family both social prominence and wealth. Intending to join his father in the field of medicine, Fizeau enrolled at the College Stanislas; however, the harsh climate there did not appeal to the boy, and he soon returned to Paris to study physics at the College de France. During his years as a student he worked under the tutelage of the renowned astronomer and physicist Dominique-François Arago, the director of the Paris Observatory...