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Fragments from the Past on Journal Pages COSMIC INK fragments from the past Agnese Mandrino, INAF-Astronomical Observatory of Brera - Milan Mauro Gargano, INAF-Astronomical Observatory of Capodimonte - Naples on journal pages Antonella Gasperini, INAF-Astrophysical Observatory of Arcetri - Florence " Do you think it's right to rake up the past? I don't know that I know what you mean by raking it up; but how can we get at it unless we dig a little? The present has such a rough way of treading it down. " | Henry James, The Aspern Papers, 1888 The archives of the Italian Astronomical Observatories: Giornale di Astronomia how to promote them? The Giornale di Astronomia is a quarterly journal of the Società Astronomica Since 1980 the Italian Astronomical Observatories and the Astronomy Department Italiana (Italian Astronomical Society), published in Italian language since of the University of Bologna have started to keep, sort out and inventory their his- 1975. It is the unique Italian popular astronomical journal edited by a national torical archives. professional scientic institution. These archives preserve the docu- The Società Astronomica Italiana is the succes- ronom st ica A I ments of the activities of some of à ta t e l sor of the Società degli Spettrocopisti (Spec- i ia c n - o a S P [ PZ W : V V J JP Z L[n [[YV KLNSP:WL the oldest scientic institutions in troscopy Society). It was Established in 1871 - ­ Italy, starting fromthe end of the XVII by Italian astronomers, rst among everyone GIORNALE DI ASTRONOMIA Rivista di informazione, cultura e didattica century. The documents reveal the by Angelo Secchi (1818-1878), the pioneers of della Società Astronomica Italiana relationships among the astrono- astronomical spectroscopy in Italy, publishingpublishing mers and the scientic community, the rst spectral classications Societàof Astronomica stars. Italiana It was the politicians, and the society of the rst professional organization specialized the time: we can nd observation in "Physical Astronomy". InIn 18721872 thethe SocietySociety logbooks, meteorological registers, published the Memorie degliLISAVII Spettroscopisti thousands of letters, worksheets, (Memories of Spectroscopy Society), the rst Con il patrocinio della personal and scientic diaries, scientic magazine devoted to Astrophysics.Camera dei Deputati Fabrizio Serra editore Settembre Pisa · Roma Vol. º · N. travel journals, sketches, maps, photographs, administrative papers. All of them are Nowaday the Giornale di Astronomia publish- rst-hand sources for historical research and a precious and unique cultural herit- es papers, by specialized and professional scholarsscholars (not(not onlyonly Italians),Italians), on as- age, crucial to the understanding of the evolution of scientic thinking and for the tronomy and astrophysics, historyhistory ofof astronomy,astronomy, astronomyastronomy education,education, andand reconstruction of the Italian "scientic politics" during the part three centuries. on topics concerning relations between astronomy andand variousvarious disciplines,disciplines, The archivists in charge of this wonderful heritage restored the original arrange- like philosophy, art,art, literature, socialsocial sciences,sciences, etc.etc. ItsIts aimaim isis toto popularizepopularize asas- ment of the records, publishedpublished analitycalanalitycal inventories,inventories, andand mademade thethe documentsdocuments tronomy and science in order toto spreadspread themthem toto students,students, teachers,teachers, amateuramateur available to all. Furthermore, the web portal Polvere di stelle (Stardust) was realized. astronomers and people generically interested in them, as well asas toto scholars.scholars. At the same time, the material stored inin thethe astronomicalastronomical archivesarchives waswas promoted.promoted. and professional astronomers. Many ways have beenbeen followedfollowed toto ensureensure aa highhigh visibility:visibility: editionedition ofof epistolarepistolar exex- changes between astronomers, exibitions hosted in public cultural institutions Up to now: (usually National Libraries and Archives) to celebrate scienticscientic oror personalpersonal anniveranniver- ten fragments from the past. saries, public lectures of astronomical documents, guided tours inside the archives. 1 2 The column COSMIC INK in the Giornale di Astronomia: PRIMUS INTER PARES A TRIP IN FLORENCE AND the discovery of Ceres THE FIRST IAU GENERAL ASSEMBLY an example of permanent promotion. A letter from G. Piazzi to B. Oriani, 1801 The commemorative diploma, 1922. POSTERby A. Mandrino by A. Gasperini In 2012 an editorial project to enhance the cultural heritage of the Italian observato- ries started. A column entitled Cieli di inchiostro (Cosmic ink) was born inside the 200 YEARS OF LIGHT Giornale di Astronomia. 4 the foundation of the new In every issue of the journal a signicant bygone fragment is presented and de- Observatory in Capodimonte Cerimony program for the foundation stone, 1812 THE HALLEY’S COMET scribed. A letter, aa diarydiary page,page, aa photograph,photograph, aa map,map, aa drawingdrawing etc...etc... isis pulledpulled outout 5 3 by M. Gargano IN PADUA from the archival folders to bringbring toto lightlight itsits history.history. NotNot onlyonly science,science, instruments,instruments, Observations logbook by G. Lorenzoni, 1910 discoveries and observations are made known, but also people, travels, publicpublic andand BORN WITH NO PAPERS by V. Zanini the Observatory of Brera private relationships, etc... allall thethe importantimportant scientic and human aspects that an A letter from R. Boscovich to G. S. Conti, 1765. historical archives is able to oer. A CASE OF MIMETISM by A. Mandrino A hidden manuscript The authors are archivists, librarian, historians of astronomy and researchers. by J. Ramsdem, 1787-1788 The aim of this project is to raise awareness by D. Randazzo & I. Chinnici Cieli d’inchiostro* A cura di Agnese Mandrino, Mauro Gargano, Antonella Gasperini of activities of reordering, inventorying and «©¯° · Osservatorio Astronomico di Brera «©¯° · Osservatorio Astronomico di Capodimonte ² «©¯° · Osservatorio Astro sico di Arcetri valorization of the historical archives be- 6 7 8 novembre la fondazione longing to the Istituto Nazionale di Astrosi- G. MARCONI, SARDINIA dell’Osservatorio Astronomico di Capodimonte: anni di luce ca (National Institute for Astrophysics) and A. BEMPORAD AND AND ASTRONOMY Mauro Gargano THE RACIAL DISCRIMINATION «©¯° · Osservatorio Astronomico di Capodimonte the Department of Physics and Astronomy of An official decree, 1932 IN FASCIST ERA by F. Denotti a volte capita di trovare documenti di Palermo ³ a Milano – come nel caso di Piazzi – o di Roma a Firenze – come per le lettere di Secchi– in alcune cir- the Bologna University. The “Racial Laws”, 1938 costanze, carte originali che riguardano aspetti fon- damentali degli osservatori astronomici hanno una DRAFT collocazione esterna, fondi privati o archivi di altri by A. Mangano enti pubblici. In questo numero della rubrica, per celebrare il bicentenario della fondazione dell’Os- This column wants to invite historians, ama- servatorio Astronomico di Capodimonte, presen- tiamo uno dei tanti documenti relativi all’istituzio- ne della Specola partenopea conservati presso F«´. l’Archivio di Stato di Napoli ed esposti nella mostra teurs, and students to search and use the “Il Tempio di Urania” (aperta no al settembre presso la Sala Catasti dell’Archivio di Stato di vatorio in sostituzione del vecchio e malandato Napoli). edi cio di San Gaudioso che di specola aveva solo il Il documento relativo al programma per la posa nome. della prima pietra dell’Osservatorio, insieme a tutti Il grande entusiasmo del giovane scienziato, so- documents kept in the archives of the ob- quelli collocati nell’esposizione, evidenzia ancora stenuto dal suo mentore e maestro Barnaba Oriani una volta come i li di una storia si intreccino con le (-), direttore dell’Osservatorio di Brera, e vicende di uomini e di istituzioni spesso lontane e dal mondo accademico napoletano, che lo conside- 10 diverse tra loro. rava l’uomo giusto per «ridestare trà i discendenti di servatories. Archives are always surprising. Filolao il gusto dell’Astronomia, e farne rinascere Ed allora, magni co sia l’edi cio, esclamò il Monarca. con maggior lustro la Scuola andata in oblivione», Magni co sia, ripeterono i Consiglieri, e i Ministri: ope- ra di Federigo, che l’astronomica scienza da’ tugurii a re- consentì alla comunità scienti ca napoletana di ot- gio stato innalzasse. tenere quello che dal , anno dell’istituzione del- As Marc Bloch wrote in his The Historians la cattedra di Astronomia all’università, né Pietro di Così fu salutata, l’ marzo , la richiesta del- Martino (-¢) né successivamente Felice Saba- l’astronomo di Napoli, Federigo Zuccari (-), telli (-¢) e, in parte, Giuseppe Cassella (- 9 di costruire sulla collina di Miradois il nuovo osser- ) erano riusciti a realizzare. LETTER FROM ENUA Spinto dall’euforia dell’intero governo napoleta- Craft’s (1949): “ The sight of an investigation A G no, il ministro dell’Interno Giuseppe Zurlo (- * Proseguiamo la rubrica iniziata nel n. / con la quale i ), già presidente dell’Accademia delle Scienze e curatori intendono presentare “frammenti di passato” provenien- A letter from A. Salvago ti dagli archivi astronomici, sia per aumentare la conoscenza degli appassionato di astronomia e sica sperimentale, archivi stessi, sia perché quei “frammenti” ci possano raccontare with its successes and reverses, is seldom to E. Manfredi, 1724 una sia pur breve storia degli uomini che, nelle nostre istituzioni, THE STOLEN COMET si sono dedicati allo studio del cielo. Lettera di T¦§¦¨¦ M¦©ª«¬®®«a Barnaba Oriani, Napoli Elogio Storico del Cav. Federigo Zuccari, astronomo, , Biblio- luglio , Osservatorio Astronomico di Brera, Archivio Stori- by F. Bònoli teca Casanatense, Manoscritto, ¢. co, Corrispondenza Scientica, . boring. It is the ready-made article which is A telegram from W. Tempel to G. Schiaparelli, 1877 Giornale di Astronomia · , cold and dull”. by S. Bianchi & I. Chinnici.
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