62
Finally, science and faith were closely related in the scientific popularization that
Secchi promoted, especially in Rome. Secchi did not hesitate to use the church of
St. Ignatius in Rome to repeat the famous Foucault experiment in 1851 (see Chinnici
2019). He went so far as to suggest, with Faà di Bruno in Turin, the use of churches
as classrooms for scientific lectures and even as astronomical observatories, for
example, to show the general public images of the Moon or projections of the solar
disk through a system of mirrors.
Francesco Faà di Bruno tried to involve Secchi in a series of lectures to be held
in the Church of Santa Maria del Suffragio in Turin. He wrote to Secchi on December
31, 1873: “Where V. S. Rev. [Yours Reverend Lordship] has nothing against it, I
would prefer physical astronomy classes on the sun or the moon, the stars, etc.; I
would like to combine them with brilliant experiments, aimed at surprising people
there. One could, for example, project stellar spectra and talking about the composition of the stars; one could project the moon in front of the audience... Through the
[bell-tower] dome, which has 16 windows, and with some parallactic apparatus, it
could be possible with 45° mirrors to bring down the image of the moon on a visible
screen before the public” (Palazzini 1980: 12).
This is a small window into the popularization of science in the nineteenth century, little known today, but one that could serve as an example for us even now.
For them, knowledge was seen as a right of everyone. Astronomical studies have
always been nourished by this enthusiasm—an enthusiasm that, with the passing of
the centuries, must never be lost.
References
Altamore, A., & Lay, R. (2012). Testimonianze del XIX e XX secolo sulla figura e l’attività di
Angelo Secchi. In A. Altamore & S. Maffeo (Eds.), Angelo Secchi. L’avventura scientifica del
Collegio Romano (pp. 291–295).
Altamore, A., & Maffeo, S. (Eds.). (2012). Angelo Secchi. L’avventura scientifica del Collegio
Romano. Foligno, Quater.
Archivio della Pontificia Università Gregoriana. (1870). Fondo Secchi, folder n. 23, Lettere riguardanti l’accettazione e la rinunzia del P. Secchi alla Cattedra dell’Università Governativa
(1870), II (Notebook), Trip to Sicily on occasion of 1870 solar eclipse (October 1870–January
1871), ff. 27–51.
Archivio della Pontificia Università Gregoriana. (1877). Fondo Secchi, folder n. 23, I, f. 5.
Brooke, J. H. (1991). Science and religion. Some historical perspective. Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press.
Brooke, J. H., & Cantor, G. (1998). Reconstructing nature. The engagement of science and religion. Edinburgh: T&T Clark.
Buffoni, L., Manara, A., & Tucci, P. (1991). G.V. Schiaparelli, A. Secchi – Corrispondenza
1861-1878. Milano: Art.
Buonanno, R. (2008). Il cielo sopra Roma. I luoghi dell’astronomia. Milano: Springer-Italia.
Castellani, G. (1944). Nomina e rinunzia del P. Angelo Secchi a professore di Astrofisica
nell’Università di Roma. Civiltà Cattolica, 95, 39–46, 170–179.
Chinnici, I. (2012). Il profilo scientifico e umano di Angelo Secchi, In A. Altamore & S. Maffeo
(Eds.), Angelo Secchi. L’avventura scientifica del Collegio Romano (pp. 43–64).
G. Tanzella-Nitti
Finally, science and faith were closely related in the scientific popularization that
Secchi promoted, especially in Rome. Secchi did not hesitate to use the church of
St. Ignatius in Rome to repeat the famous Foucault experiment in 1851 (see Chinnici
2019). He went so far as to suggest, with Faà di Bruno in Turin, the use of churches
as classrooms for scientific lectures and even as astronomical observatories, for
example, to show the general public images of the Moon or projections of the solar
disk through a system of mirrors.
Francesco Faà di Bruno tried to involve Secchi in a series of lectures to be held
in the Church of Santa Maria del Suffragio in Turin. He wrote to Secchi on December
31, 1873: “Where V. S. Rev. [Yours Reverend Lordship] has nothing against it, I
would prefer physical astronomy classes on the sun or the moon, the stars, etc.; I
would like to combine them with brilliant experiments, aimed at surprising people
there. One could, for example, project stellar spectra and talking about the composition of the stars; one could project the moon in front of the audience... Through the
[bell-tower] dome, which has 16 windows, and with some parallactic apparatus, it
could be possible with 45° mirrors to bring down the image of the moon on a visible
screen before the public” (Palazzini 1980: 12).
This is a small window into the popularization of science in the nineteenth century, little known today, but one that could serve as an example for us even now.
For them, knowledge was seen as a right of everyone. Astronomical studies have
always been nourished by this enthusiasm—an enthusiasm that, with the passing of
the centuries, must never be lost.
References
Altamore, A., & Lay, R. (2012). Testimonianze del XIX e XX secolo sulla figura e l’attività di
Angelo Secchi. In A. Altamore & S. Maffeo (Eds.), Angelo Secchi. L’avventura scientifica del
Collegio Romano (pp. 291–295).
Altamore, A., & Maffeo, S. (Eds.). (2012). Angelo Secchi. L’avventura scientifica del Collegio
Romano. Foligno, Quater.
Archivio della Pontificia Università Gregoriana. (1870). Fondo Secchi, folder n. 23, Lettere riguardanti l’accettazione e la rinunzia del P. Secchi alla Cattedra dell’Università Governativa
(1870), II (Notebook), Trip to Sicily on occasion of 1870 solar eclipse (October 1870–January
1871), ff. 27–51.
Archivio della Pontificia Università Gregoriana. (1877). Fondo Secchi, folder n. 23, I, f. 5.
Brooke, J. H. (1991). Science and religion. Some historical perspective. Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press.
Brooke, J. H., & Cantor, G. (1998). Reconstructing nature. The engagement of science and religion. Edinburgh: T&T Clark.
Buffoni, L., Manara, A., & Tucci, P. (1991). G.V. Schiaparelli, A. Secchi – Corrispondenza
1861-1878. Milano: Art.
Buonanno, R. (2008). Il cielo sopra Roma. I luoghi dell’astronomia. Milano: Springer-Italia.
Castellani, G. (1944). Nomina e rinunzia del P. Angelo Secchi a professore di Astrofisica
nell’Università di Roma. Civiltà Cattolica, 95, 39–46, 170–179.
Chinnici, I. (2012). Il profilo scientifico e umano di Angelo Secchi, In A. Altamore & S. Maffeo
(Eds.), Angelo Secchi. L’avventura scientifica del Collegio Romano (pp. 43–64).
G. Tanzella-Nitti