The observers of the Astronomical Society of France. Cartography of a cross-border network during the Belle Époque

This article focuses on the network of members of the Société astronomique de France (SAF), a learned astronomical society founded by Camille Flammarion in 1887. It outlines a prosopography and a cartography of the SAF’s 3,500 members in 1913, shedding light on the functioning and the dynamics of the society at a time when social interest in science reached its peak. The SAF was characterised by ambivalence towards professional astronomy, on the question of extraterrestrial life, for example. An analysis of this amateur network also sheds light on the role of non-professionals in the mechanisms of internationalisation and globalisation of science. Then the paper focuses specifically on the Argentinean case.