325
observations and regular publication of ephemerides, meteorological bulletins, etc.
Many famous astronomers of that time visited the observatory (e.g., Joseph
Jérôme de Lalande and Ruggero Boscovich).
Another important observatory in Rome is the Vatican Observatory. It was
founded in 1891 to install a national observatory in the Vatican after the conquest of
Rome by the new Italian state, and it is still in operation (Chinnici 2018).
19.2 The Observatory at Collegio Romano
The origin of the observatory of Collegio Romano can be identified with the arrival
of Christopher Clavius in 1564 when he started to teach astronomy and to observe
the sky systematically, leading to the famous observation of Nova Cassiopeia in
1572. Many astronomers studied and taught at Collegio Romano: Odo Van Maelcote
(1572–1615) reported on Nova Sagittarii in a public speech on December 23, 1604
(Baldini 1981); Cristoforo Grienberger (1564–1636) published the first Star Catalog
realized using a telescope in 1612, containing 1225 stars between first and sixth
magnitude (Grienberger 1612); Orazio Grassi (1583–1654) observed and studied
the nature of comets; and Cristoforo Scheiner (1573–1650) studied in detail the
Sun, leading to a conflict with Galileo about the discovery and the nature of sunspots (Scheiner 1630).
Astronomers of the Collegio Romano acted as consultants during Galileo
Galilei’s trial by the Roman Inquisition and confirmed Galileo’s observations. In the
eighteenth century, first Orazio Borgondio (1675–1741) and then Ruggero
Boscovich (1711–1787) carried out astronomical studies at the Collegio Romano.
They also proposed to Pope Benedict XIV to build a true astronomical observatory
there. Unfortunately, their project was too expensive for that time and could not be
realized (Monaco 2000). Boscovich, one of the greatest scientists of that century,
continued to work and teach at the Collegio Romano until 1754, when he moved to
Milan, joining the Brera Astronomical Observatory.
In 1773, Pope Clement XIV suppressed the Society of Jesus, and the Collegio
Romano was handed over to secular clergy. Giuseppe Calandrelli (1749–1827)
arrived to teach mathematics and astronomy. Calandrelli was an enthusiastic astronomer and with the support of Cardinal Francesco Saverio de Zelada (1717–1801)
attempted to build an astronomical observatory in the Torre dei Venti, in the Vatican.
After 1783 Ruggero Boscovich returned to Rome and, together with Calandrelli,
returned to his original idea of building an observatory close to the Collegio
Romano. In particular they proposed to use the roof of the nearby Church of
S. Ignazio to host such an observatory (Secchi 1877). The project was still too
expensive to be realized, and in 1787 Boscovich passed away. Instead, Calandrelli
built a 67-m-high tower at the Collegio Romano; this can be considered to be the
first real astronomical observatory of that institution. With the financial support of
Pope Pius VII, Calandrelli equipped the observatory with professional instruments
acquired in Paris (Calandrelli 1806).
19 Astronomy in Rome After Secchi and His Legacy at the Astronomical Observatory…
observations and regular publication of ephemerides, meteorological bulletins, etc.
Many famous astronomers of that time visited the observatory (e.g., Joseph
Jérôme de Lalande and Ruggero Boscovich).
Another important observatory in Rome is the Vatican Observatory. It was
founded in 1891 to install a national observatory in the Vatican after the conquest of
Rome by the new Italian state, and it is still in operation (Chinnici 2018).
19.2 The Observatory at Collegio Romano
The origin of the observatory of Collegio Romano can be identified with the arrival
of Christopher Clavius in 1564 when he started to teach astronomy and to observe
the sky systematically, leading to the famous observation of Nova Cassiopeia in
1572. Many astronomers studied and taught at Collegio Romano: Odo Van Maelcote
(1572–1615) reported on Nova Sagittarii in a public speech on December 23, 1604
(Baldini 1981); Cristoforo Grienberger (1564–1636) published the first Star Catalog
realized using a telescope in 1612, containing 1225 stars between first and sixth
magnitude (Grienberger 1612); Orazio Grassi (1583–1654) observed and studied
the nature of comets; and Cristoforo Scheiner (1573–1650) studied in detail the
Sun, leading to a conflict with Galileo about the discovery and the nature of sunspots (Scheiner 1630).
Astronomers of the Collegio Romano acted as consultants during Galileo
Galilei’s trial by the Roman Inquisition and confirmed Galileo’s observations. In the
eighteenth century, first Orazio Borgondio (1675–1741) and then Ruggero
Boscovich (1711–1787) carried out astronomical studies at the Collegio Romano.
They also proposed to Pope Benedict XIV to build a true astronomical observatory
there. Unfortunately, their project was too expensive for that time and could not be
realized (Monaco 2000). Boscovich, one of the greatest scientists of that century,
continued to work and teach at the Collegio Romano until 1754, when he moved to
Milan, joining the Brera Astronomical Observatory.
In 1773, Pope Clement XIV suppressed the Society of Jesus, and the Collegio
Romano was handed over to secular clergy. Giuseppe Calandrelli (1749–1827)
arrived to teach mathematics and astronomy. Calandrelli was an enthusiastic astronomer and with the support of Cardinal Francesco Saverio de Zelada (1717–1801)
attempted to build an astronomical observatory in the Torre dei Venti, in the Vatican.
After 1783 Ruggero Boscovich returned to Rome and, together with Calandrelli,
returned to his original idea of building an observatory close to the Collegio
Romano. In particular they proposed to use the roof of the nearby Church of
S. Ignazio to host such an observatory (Secchi 1877). The project was still too
expensive to be realized, and in 1787 Boscovich passed away. Instead, Calandrelli
built a 67-m-high tower at the Collegio Romano; this can be considered to be the
first real astronomical observatory of that institution. With the financial support of
Pope Pius VII, Calandrelli equipped the observatory with professional instruments
acquired in Paris (Calandrelli 1806).
19 Astronomy in Rome After Secchi and His Legacy at the Astronomical Observatory…