309
1890s, Hale invented and built the spectroheliograph, an instrument to photograph
the Sun in monochromatic light, which he used from his own private observatory.
Soon he secured funds for building the Yerkes Observatory of the University of
Chicago, to which he was appointed director.
At the same time Hale worked to establish an international scientific journal of
astrophysics. During a trip to Europe, Hale searched for support for this new publication among the astrophysicists he encountered. In spring 1894 he visited several
Italian members of the Società and met Tacchini, who directed the Collegio Romano
Observatory following Secchi’s death. Hale returned to the USA with a promise of
cooperation from Tacchini and other prominent spectroscopists. “The Astrophysical
Journal - An international review of spectroscopy and astronomical physics” started
its publication in January 1895. The list of associated editors of the journal included
five Americans and five Europeans, Tacchini being among them; eight out of ten
were members of the Società degli Spettroscopisti (Chinnici 1997, 2008).
The legacy of the Società and its Memorie is evident in Hale’s activity: “The
volumes of the Memorie […] stand in a case near my table and are used almost
every day. I have good reasons to know how much I’m indebted to Tacchini, Secchi,
Respighi, Lorenzoni and Riccò, not to mention the other members of the Society,”
he wrote to Tacchini in March 1896. In July 1897 he invited the Italian astronomer
to give an informal talk at the incoming inauguration of the Yerkes Observatory, “as
a representative of the Italian Society of Spectroscopists,” then adding “it seems to
us very desirable that the investigations be inaugurated, to some extent at least,
under the Society’s auspices.” But Tacchini could not attend (Chinnici 1997). Hale
was later elected as a foreign member of the Società in 1901.
18.4 The Decline of the Italian Spectroscopists
Under Tacchini’s tireless activity, Italian astrophysics achieved several other successes. A high-altitude observatory was inaugurated on Mount Etna in 1880. This
was followed by the foundation of the Catania Observatory, the first astrophysical
observatory in Italy. The first permanent chair in astrophysics in the world was
established at Catania University in 1890 (Chinnici 2008); it was given to Annibale
Riccò (1844–1919), director of Catania Observatory, who had been a collaborator
and later a scientific heir of Tacchini.
Riccò contributed greatly to the monitoring of solar activity. During Hale’s visit
of 1894, the two of them attempted (in vain) to observe the solar corona outside of
an eclipse by using a spectrograph from Mount Etna. Riccò installed the first of such
instruments in Italy at Catania in 1908. He succeeded Tacchini as the director of the
Società and in editing the Memorie (Abetti 1920).
Nevertheless, spectroscopic studies in Italy rapidly declined. The main reasons
were probably the lack of financial means to obtain the newer instruments required
by the progress of science and, more importantly, the lack of practitioners: Tacchini
and Riccò did not create a school that continued their studies (Chinnici 2008). In
18 The Ups and Downs (and Ups Again!) of Astrophysics in Italy After Secchi
1890s, Hale invented and built the spectroheliograph, an instrument to photograph
the Sun in monochromatic light, which he used from his own private observatory.
Soon he secured funds for building the Yerkes Observatory of the University of
Chicago, to which he was appointed director.
At the same time Hale worked to establish an international scientific journal of
astrophysics. During a trip to Europe, Hale searched for support for this new publication among the astrophysicists he encountered. In spring 1894 he visited several
Italian members of the Società and met Tacchini, who directed the Collegio Romano
Observatory following Secchi’s death. Hale returned to the USA with a promise of
cooperation from Tacchini and other prominent spectroscopists. “The Astrophysical
Journal - An international review of spectroscopy and astronomical physics” started
its publication in January 1895. The list of associated editors of the journal included
five Americans and five Europeans, Tacchini being among them; eight out of ten
were members of the Società degli Spettroscopisti (Chinnici 1997, 2008).
The legacy of the Società and its Memorie is evident in Hale’s activity: “The
volumes of the Memorie […] stand in a case near my table and are used almost
every day. I have good reasons to know how much I’m indebted to Tacchini, Secchi,
Respighi, Lorenzoni and Riccò, not to mention the other members of the Society,”
he wrote to Tacchini in March 1896. In July 1897 he invited the Italian astronomer
to give an informal talk at the incoming inauguration of the Yerkes Observatory, “as
a representative of the Italian Society of Spectroscopists,” then adding “it seems to
us very desirable that the investigations be inaugurated, to some extent at least,
under the Society’s auspices.” But Tacchini could not attend (Chinnici 1997). Hale
was later elected as a foreign member of the Società in 1901.
18.4 The Decline of the Italian Spectroscopists
Under Tacchini’s tireless activity, Italian astrophysics achieved several other successes. A high-altitude observatory was inaugurated on Mount Etna in 1880. This
was followed by the foundation of the Catania Observatory, the first astrophysical
observatory in Italy. The first permanent chair in astrophysics in the world was
established at Catania University in 1890 (Chinnici 2008); it was given to Annibale
Riccò (1844–1919), director of Catania Observatory, who had been a collaborator
and later a scientific heir of Tacchini.
Riccò contributed greatly to the monitoring of solar activity. During Hale’s visit
of 1894, the two of them attempted (in vain) to observe the solar corona outside of
an eclipse by using a spectrograph from Mount Etna. Riccò installed the first of such
instruments in Italy at Catania in 1908. He succeeded Tacchini as the director of the
Società and in editing the Memorie (Abetti 1920).
Nevertheless, spectroscopic studies in Italy rapidly declined. The main reasons
were probably the lack of financial means to obtain the newer instruments required
by the progress of science and, more importantly, the lack of practitioners: Tacchini
and Riccò did not create a school that continued their studies (Chinnici 2008). In
18 The Ups and Downs (and Ups Again!) of Astrophysics in Italy After Secchi