who was he?
French astronomer, antiquary and savant.
Nicolas-Claude Fabri de Peiresc
Nicolas-Claude Fabri de Peiresc (1 December 1580 – 24 June 1637), often known simply as Peiresc, or by the Latin form of his name Peirescius, was a French astronomer, antiquary and savant, who maintained a wide correspondence with scientists, and was a successful organizer of scientific inquiry. 
what is h ii region? A region of interstellar atomic hydrogen that is ionized. where is it located? The Orion Nebula, the Eta Carinae Nebula, and the Berkeley 59 / Cepheus OB4 Complex. how far is it from earth? Sometimes several hundred light-years across. when was it first observed? 1610 and by whom? Nicolas-Claude Fabri de Peiresc
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Nicolas-Claude Fabri de Peiresc [SEP] Introduction
Nicolas-Claude Fabri de Peiresc (1 December 1580 – 24 June 1637), often known simply as Peiresc, or by the Latin form of his name Peirescius, was a French astronomer, antiquary and savant, who maintained a wide correspondence with scientists, and was a successful organizer of scientific inquiry. His research included a determination of the difference in longitude of various locations in Europe, around the Mediterranean, and in North Africa.