201
© 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_12
Chapter 12
The Measurement of the Geodetic
Baselines Along the Via Appia Antica
Tullio Aebischer
12.1 Introduction
Secchi’s scientific activities covered many diverse fields of study. One of them is
geodesy, the study of the shape and measure of the Earth. During his long scientific
career, his interest in geodesy was not only theoretical but also practical. This work
arose at two very separate occasions: the measurement of the geodetic baseline
along the Via Appia Antica (1854–1855) and the measure of the Central Europe
Meridian Arc (1862–1870). In this latter work, Secchi laid the foundations of what
would later be called Primo Meridiano d’Italia, the origin line for the longitudes
mapped in the Carta Topografica d’Italia (1875) (Aebischer 2011) in use until
1995, until the IGM95 network based on the GPS (Global Positioning System) was
adopted.
On these two occasions, Secchi showed a singular capacity for organization,
taking responsibility not only of the measurement itself but also for the choice of
instruments and the on-site work plan with a team of people and then overseeing the
publication of the results. Not only did he demonstrate a deep knowledge of the
state of the art of geodesy of his time, but he contributed several original practical
improvements, especially in measuring the geodetic baseline.
T. Aebischer (*)
SISFA – Società Italiana degli Storici della Fisica e dell’Astronomia, Rome, Italy
e-mail: tulaeb@libero.it
© 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_12
Chapter 12
The Measurement of the Geodetic
Baselines Along the Via Appia Antica
Tullio Aebischer
12.1 Introduction
Secchi’s scientific activities covered many diverse fields of study. One of them is
geodesy, the study of the shape and measure of the Earth. During his long scientific
career, his interest in geodesy was not only theoretical but also practical. This work
arose at two very separate occasions: the measurement of the geodetic baseline
along the Via Appia Antica (1854–1855) and the measure of the Central Europe
Meridian Arc (1862–1870). In this latter work, Secchi laid the foundations of what
would later be called Primo Meridiano d’Italia, the origin line for the longitudes
mapped in the Carta Topografica d’Italia (1875) (Aebischer 2011) in use until
1995, until the IGM95 network based on the GPS (Global Positioning System) was
adopted.
On these two occasions, Secchi showed a singular capacity for organization,
taking responsibility not only of the measurement itself but also for the choice of
instruments and the on-site work plan with a team of people and then overseeing the
publication of the results. Not only did he demonstrate a deep knowledge of the
state of the art of geodesy of his time, but he contributed several original practical
improvements, especially in measuring the geodetic baseline.
T. Aebischer (*)
SISFA – Società Italiana degli Storici della Fisica e dell’Astronomia, Rome, Italy
e-mail: tulaeb@libero.it