4
anthropological, and archaeological collections found today in the museums of
Rome; Francesco Maria Grimaldi (1618–1663), discoverer of the diffraction of
light and father of modern optics; and Ruggiero Giuseppe Boscovich (1711–1787),
brilliant physical mathematician and physicist (famous for his theory of atoms).
And then, in the second half of the nineteenth century, it also became the birthplace of modern astrophysics, thanks to the tireless activity of Angelo Secchi
(1818–1878). Secchi was thus just the last in a long line of Jesuit scientists who
taught and worked at the Collegio Romano. But at the same time, he was also the
first representative there of a new scientific tradition that is still alive today in the
field of modern astrophysical research, in Italy and around the world. Given the
multiplicity of his interests and his tireless hard work, it has been said by many
authors that the scientific results he obtained seem to be the product of a large staff
of scholars rather than a single individual (Abetti 1960).
1.2 Biographical Sketch of Angelo Secchi
Secchi was born in Reggio Emilia on June 28, 1818. His first studies took place in
the Jesuit college of his hometown; at the age of 15, he was admitted to the novitiate
of the Society of Jesus in St. Andrew at the Quirinale in Rome, where he studied
rhetoric and grammar. In 1837, he began his studies in philosophy at the Collegio
Romano, distinguishing himself in physics and mathematics. These disciplines
were taught respectively by Fathers Giovanni Battista Pianciani (1784–1862) and
Francesco De Vico (1805–1848), who was the director of the Astronomical
Observatory. Between 1841 and 1844, he taught physics at the Illyricum College of
Loreto; then he returned Rome as an assistant to Pianciani. When the revolution of
1848 led to the proclamation of the Roman Republic, Secchi and his Jesuit brethren
went into voluntary exile; he went first to Stonyhurst College in England and then a
few months later to Georgetown College in Washington, DC, where Secchi was
once again engaged in the teaching of mathematics and physics.
The American stay was very important for his scientific training. His friendship
with James Curley (1796–1889), director of Georgetown’s astronomical observatory, and Matthew F. Maury (1806–1873), director of the US Naval Observatory,
allowed him to become familiar with the most up-to-date theories concerning atmospheric physics and astronomy. In particular, his contact with Maury introduced him
to the new method of dynamic meteorology, as discussed in Chap. 9.
At the end of 1849, after the fall of the Roman Republic, the Jesuits returned to
Rome and Secchi was called to head the Collegio Romano Observatory as successor
to Father De Vico, who had died in the meantime. In the course of his direction he
undertook the significant reorganization of the Observatory.
In addition to being interested in the fundamental sciences, he was very attentive
to the development of practical applications of scientific results, with the explicit
purpose of improving the lives of ordinary people. Secchi was also very active in the
dissemination of scientific and technical knowledge with a particular focus on the
A. Altamore et al.
anthropological, and archaeological collections found today in the museums of
Rome; Francesco Maria Grimaldi (1618–1663), discoverer of the diffraction of
light and father of modern optics; and Ruggiero Giuseppe Boscovich (1711–1787),
brilliant physical mathematician and physicist (famous for his theory of atoms).
And then, in the second half of the nineteenth century, it also became the birthplace of modern astrophysics, thanks to the tireless activity of Angelo Secchi
(1818–1878). Secchi was thus just the last in a long line of Jesuit scientists who
taught and worked at the Collegio Romano. But at the same time, he was also the
first representative there of a new scientific tradition that is still alive today in the
field of modern astrophysical research, in Italy and around the world. Given the
multiplicity of his interests and his tireless hard work, it has been said by many
authors that the scientific results he obtained seem to be the product of a large staff
of scholars rather than a single individual (Abetti 1960).
1.2 Biographical Sketch of Angelo Secchi
Secchi was born in Reggio Emilia on June 28, 1818. His first studies took place in
the Jesuit college of his hometown; at the age of 15, he was admitted to the novitiate
of the Society of Jesus in St. Andrew at the Quirinale in Rome, where he studied
rhetoric and grammar. In 1837, he began his studies in philosophy at the Collegio
Romano, distinguishing himself in physics and mathematics. These disciplines
were taught respectively by Fathers Giovanni Battista Pianciani (1784–1862) and
Francesco De Vico (1805–1848), who was the director of the Astronomical
Observatory. Between 1841 and 1844, he taught physics at the Illyricum College of
Loreto; then he returned Rome as an assistant to Pianciani. When the revolution of
1848 led to the proclamation of the Roman Republic, Secchi and his Jesuit brethren
went into voluntary exile; he went first to Stonyhurst College in England and then a
few months later to Georgetown College in Washington, DC, where Secchi was
once again engaged in the teaching of mathematics and physics.
The American stay was very important for his scientific training. His friendship
with James Curley (1796–1889), director of Georgetown’s astronomical observatory, and Matthew F. Maury (1806–1873), director of the US Naval Observatory,
allowed him to become familiar with the most up-to-date theories concerning atmospheric physics and astronomy. In particular, his contact with Maury introduced him
to the new method of dynamic meteorology, as discussed in Chap. 9.
At the end of 1849, after the fall of the Roman Republic, the Jesuits returned to
Rome and Secchi was called to head the Collegio Romano Observatory as successor
to Father De Vico, who had died in the meantime. In the course of his direction he
undertook the significant reorganization of the Observatory.
In addition to being interested in the fundamental sciences, he was very attentive
to the development of practical applications of scientific results, with the explicit
purpose of improving the lives of ordinary people. Secchi was also very active in the
dissemination of scientific and technical knowledge with a particular focus on the
A. Altamore et al.