282
This apparently simple but ambitious proposal by Tacchini for a 60/70-cm
refracting telescope at the disposal of the national community would have moved
the observational capacity of astronomers in Italy to the highest international level:
6
this would indeed have been a “scientific monument” in memory of Secchi, and
what a monument!
7
The project seemed to proceed very quickly. In April, Tacchini was invited by the
local Alpine Club to officially present “a detailed report of the financial, architectural and scientific project” and to visit some places in the city that could host the
monument: “the bastion of the icehouse, formerly of Porta S. Nazario” was chosen
for the purpose. While a “publicity campaign” with newspaper articles was started
locally, Tacchini asked Sigmund Merz (1824–1908) for a quotation for a 70-cm
refractor, which would have been the largest in the world.
8
He then proposed to one
of the most renowned astronomers in Italy, Giovanni Virginio Schiaparelli
(1835–1910),
9
director of Brera Observatory, that the planned Reggio Observatory
could become “a branch of the Brera Observatory” under his “high direction.”
10
17.3 First Delays
But by October 1880, still “nothing positive” had happened at Reggio despite many
solicitations by Tacchini. Some objections had arisen in the town, mainly from one
of its most influential citizens, Ulderico Levi (1842–1922). Levi, who would be a
Liberal deputy from 1882 to 1895 and Senator from 1898, was asked to participate
in the Monument Promoting Committee. Since he did not want to burden the
Municipality with “an unjustified expense,” at the beginning of 1881 he proposed a
public subscription, directed to Italians and foreigners, to collect the money for the
telescope. The primary promoters gathered at Levi’s house on April 24, 1881,
11
and
on May 22 the “Provisional Committee to collect donations in favor of the Monument
to Father Angelo Secchi in Reggio Emilia” was established. Its president, Levi
6 Abroad, in fact, the largest telescopes were two 69-cm telescopes of Washington US Naval
Observatory (1873) and Wien Observatory (1878). Both would be exceeded only in 1887 by the
large 76-cm refractor of the Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur in Nice, whose dome was made by
Gustave Eiffel.
7 In addition, such a kind of “shared” telescope would have well represented the spirit of scientific
cooperation that Secchi promoted all during his career (Chinnici 2019: 228–250).
8 P. Tacchini to S. Merz, Rome Jan 28, 1880; S. Merz to P. Tacchini, Munich Feb 2 and 28, 1880
(ASRe-MS).
9 G.V. Schiaparelli to P. Tacchini, Milan Oct 2 and 18, 1880 (ASRe-MS), in which he applauds the
initiative in Reggio.
10 P. Tacchini to G.V. Schiaparelli, Rome Oct 10, 1880 (AOB, Corrispondenza scientifica, cart. 152,
n. 77); the proposal is also explained in a letter by Tacchini (n.d.) in BPRe.
11 Comitato Provvisorio. Copia di Verbali, N. 1. Quaderno di Adunanza dei primi promotori 24 Apr
1881. The minutes of the “permanent” Committee from No. 1 of Jun 27, 1897, to No. 19 of Apr 2,
1907, are in ASRe-MS, collected in Filza 1, Quaderno 4.
F. Bònoli and A. Mandrino
This apparently simple but ambitious proposal by Tacchini for a 60/70-cm
refracting telescope at the disposal of the national community would have moved
the observational capacity of astronomers in Italy to the highest international level:
6
this would indeed have been a “scientific monument” in memory of Secchi, and
what a monument!
7
The project seemed to proceed very quickly. In April, Tacchini was invited by the
local Alpine Club to officially present “a detailed report of the financial, architectural and scientific project” and to visit some places in the city that could host the
monument: “the bastion of the icehouse, formerly of Porta S. Nazario” was chosen
for the purpose. While a “publicity campaign” with newspaper articles was started
locally, Tacchini asked Sigmund Merz (1824–1908) for a quotation for a 70-cm
refractor, which would have been the largest in the world.
8
He then proposed to one
of the most renowned astronomers in Italy, Giovanni Virginio Schiaparelli
(1835–1910),
9
director of Brera Observatory, that the planned Reggio Observatory
could become “a branch of the Brera Observatory” under his “high direction.”
10
17.3 First Delays
But by October 1880, still “nothing positive” had happened at Reggio despite many
solicitations by Tacchini. Some objections had arisen in the town, mainly from one
of its most influential citizens, Ulderico Levi (1842–1922). Levi, who would be a
Liberal deputy from 1882 to 1895 and Senator from 1898, was asked to participate
in the Monument Promoting Committee. Since he did not want to burden the
Municipality with “an unjustified expense,” at the beginning of 1881 he proposed a
public subscription, directed to Italians and foreigners, to collect the money for the
telescope. The primary promoters gathered at Levi’s house on April 24, 1881,
11
and
on May 22 the “Provisional Committee to collect donations in favor of the Monument
to Father Angelo Secchi in Reggio Emilia” was established. Its president, Levi
6 Abroad, in fact, the largest telescopes were two 69-cm telescopes of Washington US Naval
Observatory (1873) and Wien Observatory (1878). Both would be exceeded only in 1887 by the
large 76-cm refractor of the Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur in Nice, whose dome was made by
Gustave Eiffel.
7 In addition, such a kind of “shared” telescope would have well represented the spirit of scientific
cooperation that Secchi promoted all during his career (Chinnici 2019: 228–250).
8 P. Tacchini to S. Merz, Rome Jan 28, 1880; S. Merz to P. Tacchini, Munich Feb 2 and 28, 1880
(ASRe-MS).
9 G.V. Schiaparelli to P. Tacchini, Milan Oct 2 and 18, 1880 (ASRe-MS), in which he applauds the
initiative in Reggio.
10 P. Tacchini to G.V. Schiaparelli, Rome Oct 10, 1880 (AOB, Corrispondenza scientifica, cart. 152,
n. 77); the proposal is also explained in a letter by Tacchini (n.d.) in BPRe.
11 Comitato Provvisorio. Copia di Verbali, N. 1. Quaderno di Adunanza dei primi promotori 24 Apr
1881. The minutes of the “permanent” Committee from No. 1 of Jun 27, 1897, to No. 19 of Apr 2,
1907, are in ASRe-MS, collected in Filza 1, Quaderno 4.
F. Bònoli and A. Mandrino