Jacques Alexandre Cesar Charles (1746-1823), French chemist, physicist and aeronaut. Charles worked on hydrometers, goniometers, heliostats and aerometers. He was elected to the French Academy of Sciences. In 1787 he formulated Charles's law, one of the basic gas laws. However, during his lifetime, Charles was probably better known for making the first-ever flight in a hydrogen balloon on 1st December 1783, together with fellow balloonist Marie-Noel Robert. Artwork from 'Aerostation - Aviation' (1911) by French civil engineer Max de Nansouty (1854-1913), part of the 'Les merveilles de la science' series of 1867-1891 by Louis Figuier.