153
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
I. Chinnici, G. Consolmagno (eds.), Angelo Secchi and Nineteenth Century Science,
Historical & Cultural Astronomy, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-58384-2_9
Chapter 9
Angelo Secchi and Meteorology in Italy
Luigi Iafrate and Maria Carmen Beltrano
9.1 Introduction
The historical context that led Angelo Secchi to study the dynamic and physical
processes governing Earth’s atmosphere was the Revolution of 1848–1849 (Chinnici
2019: 25). When Secchi, as a young Jesuit, joined the exile of Jesuits from Rome (at
the suggestion of Pope Pius IX), he had the opportunity to meet illustrious European
and American scientists, with whom he had a fruitful scientific exchange not only
in astronomy but also in another science which was of high interest for him:
meteorology.
After a brief stay in England, he moved to Georgetown College, the oldest school
of Georgetown University in Washington. There he got to know Matthew Fontaine
Maury (see below): oceanographer, meteorologist, and astronomer, superintendent
of the United States Naval Observatory, and head of its Depot of Charts and
Instruments. Maury introduced Secchi to modern theories of physical and dynamic
meteorology, which explained how and why air masses move and generate wellknown atmospheric phenomena. Until then, meteorologists had not been able to
determine the origin of storms or to forecast their evolution. When Secchi returned
to Rome in late 1849 and was named director of the Collegio Romano Observatory,
he continued to deepen his knowledge of the dynamic meteorology theories that he
had learned in America. He adapted these new methods of analysis to the European
context, putting into practice the knowledge he had acquired.
L. Iafrate (*)
Consiglio per la Ricerca in Agricoltura e l’Analisi dell’Economia Agraria (CREA),
Rome, Italy
e-mail: luigi.iafrate@crea.gov.it
M. C. Beltrano
CREA, former researcher, Rome, Italy
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
I. Chinnici, G. Consolmagno (eds.), Angelo Secchi and Nineteenth Century Science,
Historical & Cultural Astronomy, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-58384-2_9
Chapter 9
Angelo Secchi and Meteorology in Italy
Luigi Iafrate and Maria Carmen Beltrano
9.1 Introduction
The historical context that led Angelo Secchi to study the dynamic and physical
processes governing Earth’s atmosphere was the Revolution of 1848–1849 (Chinnici
2019: 25). When Secchi, as a young Jesuit, joined the exile of Jesuits from Rome (at
the suggestion of Pope Pius IX), he had the opportunity to meet illustrious European
and American scientists, with whom he had a fruitful scientific exchange not only
in astronomy but also in another science which was of high interest for him:
meteorology.
After a brief stay in England, he moved to Georgetown College, the oldest school
of Georgetown University in Washington. There he got to know Matthew Fontaine
Maury (see below): oceanographer, meteorologist, and astronomer, superintendent
of the United States Naval Observatory, and head of its Depot of Charts and
Instruments. Maury introduced Secchi to modern theories of physical and dynamic
meteorology, which explained how and why air masses move and generate wellknown atmospheric phenomena. Until then, meteorologists had not been able to
determine the origin of storms or to forecast their evolution. When Secchi returned
to Rome in late 1849 and was named director of the Collegio Romano Observatory,
he continued to deepen his knowledge of the dynamic meteorology theories that he
had learned in America. He adapted these new methods of analysis to the European
context, putting into practice the knowledge he had acquired.
L. Iafrate (*)
Consiglio per la Ricerca in Agricoltura e l’Analisi dell’Economia Agraria (CREA),
Rome, Italy
e-mail: luigi.iafrate@crea.gov.it
M. C. Beltrano
CREA, former researcher, Rome, Italy