DOCSLIB.ORG

Pietro Tacchini (1838-1905), a Key-figure in the Post-Unitarian Italian Astronomy

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Pietro Tacchini (1838-1905), a Key-figure in the Post-Unitarian Italian Astronomy Mem. S.A.It. Suppl. Vol. 9, 28 Memorie della c SAIt 2006 Supplementi Pietro Tacchini (1838-1905), a key-figure in the post-Unitarian Italian astronomy I. Chinnici INAF, Osservatorio Astronomico di Palermo Giuseppe S. Vaiana, Piazza del Parlamento 1, I-90134 Palermo, Italy e-mail: [email protected] Abstract. A short scientific profile of the astronomer Pietro Tacchini is drafted in this paper, paying special attention to his contribution in the field of solar physics and his lead- ing role in the establishment of the Societa` degli Spettroscopisti Italiani, forerunner of the Societa` Astronomica Italiana. Key words. History, Sun, astrophysics, Italy Pietro Tacchini (1838-1905) is one of the Modena, where the situation was changed in most important but less known figures in the the meantime: Bianchi has resigned as a conse- context of the Italian XIX century science, af- quence of the establishment of a revolutionary ter the political Unity of the nation. His activity government and Tacchini applied for the po- concerned not only astronomy but also many sition of director of the Modena Observatory other scientific disciplines, such as meteorol- - and obtained it. At that time, he was only ogy, seismology, etc. A complete and detailed 21 years-old and his activity at the Modena description of his scientific works is out of the Observatory was no more than a continuation aim of this paper, whose main purpose is to of his training in practical astronomy: actually, draft his contribution to astronomy and espe- he published only a few works about positional cially to the development of solar physics, a astronomy and meteorology - the only kind of field in which he played an important role in research he could carry out with the small in- Italy. struments installed at the Modena Observatory. Born in Modena on March 21st, 1838, An important opportunity was offered he studied at first as engineer in the na- to Tacchini in 1863 by Giovanni Virginio tive town and then went to Padua to prac- Schiaparelli (1787-1877). The famous as- tice astronomy, as requested by Giuseppe tronomer had been contacted by Michele Bianchi (1791-1866), Director of the small Amari (1806-1889), Minister of the Public Modena Observatory, who needed him as as- Instruction, who asked his advice about the sit- sistant. Tacchini spent two years at the Padua uation of the Palermo Observatory, where ”an Observatory under the direction of Giovanni assistant acting as a Director” was requested. Santini (1787-1877) and then he come back to The Palermo Observatory was a prestigious institution, thanks to the scientific activity of Send offprint requests to: I. Chinnici its first Director, Giuseppe Piazzi (1746-1826), Chinnici: Pietro Tacchini 29 ... Il Ministro della Pubblica Istruzione mi ordina di farle privatamente la seguente do- manda: = Accetterebbe V. S. di andare 2◦ Astronomo all’Osservatorio di Palermo con un assegno annuo di L. 4000, e senz’altro ob- bligo che quello di attendere con zelo alle os- servazioni astronomiche? = Mi premerebbe di avere una risposta pronta e decisiva. [...] Io non conosco altri che meglio di V. S. possa riempire questo ufficio. E d’altra parte preme, che i buoni strumenti, di cui in Italia non v’`e troppa abbondanza, siano degnamente impie- gati. Sono gli strumenti in parte forse nuovi per Lei; ma Ella non avr`adifficolt`aa render- seli famigliari: circa poi all’uso dei medesimi, norma eccellente avr`adal suo egregio mae- stro Santini; io pure mi prester`oper via epis- tolare a servirla in tutto quello di cui sono capace [...] Ella stessa vedr`aquali saranno i grandi lavori da intraprendersi con strumenti s`ıbelli. [...] Non devo dimenticare di farle cog- nito, che a Palermo il vivere `ea molto buon mercato; che la sua abitazione sar`agratuita, sotto l’Osservatorio, ampia, e bellissima; che coi Siciliani si pu`o vivere molto bene; che Fig. 1. Pietro Tacchini (1838-1905). con Cacciatore se l’intender`afacilmente; che il clima Palermitano `etemperato in ogni sta- gione, e forse il pi`usano d’Italia; che le donne Palermitane infine sono belle oltre ogni dire.1 whose main works were the discovery of the Tacchini consulted Santini in Padua and first asteroid, Ceres, and the publication of a was encouraged by him to accept: stellar catalogue in 1803, re-edited in 1814. Palermo deve essere una bella, grande, e Moreover, at that time it was equipped with ricca citt`a;[...] lo stipendio di Fr. 4000, il very good instruments, such as a Meridian nome dell’Osservatorio di Palermo, di Piazzi; Circle by Pistor & Martins and a 25-cm aper- non che i lavori gi`aillustri ... degli altri as- ture Merz equatorial, the latter unfortunately tronomi che vi figurarono, parmi che gius- still laying in the packing cases. The direc- tifichino la vostra disposizione ad accettare; tor Gaetano Cacciatore (1814-1889), an ac- ed io pure accetterei la esibizione, che vi tive supporter of the anti-borbonic party, bet- viene fatta se fossi nella vostra posizione. [...] ter known for his political engagement than for Cost`ı in fine siete quasi solo, ed isolato in his scientific activity, did not appear in a con- Astronomia, e col`aavreste [...] occasioni di dition to manage properly the research at the poter[v]i distinguere in un osservatorio ben Observatory. For this reason, it was decided to montato, e gi`aconosciuto.2 appoint a smart assistant who could give a new impulse to the scientific activity of the estab- lishment. 1 Schiaparelli to Tacchini, Milan, 19-08-1863; in: Schiaparelli wrote to Tacchini asking him Lugli, 2001, pp. 225-6. to accept the position of adjoint astronomer at 2 Santini to Tacchini, Padua, 22-08-1863 the Palermo Observatory, explaining him all (Archives Ufficio Centrale di Ecologia Agraria, the advantages of this choice: Fondo Tacchini). 30 Chinnici: Pietro Tacchini Fin dalle prime osservazioni da me fatte nel marzo 1871 io fui subito condotto alla distinzione generale delle protuberanze in due grandi categorie, cio`enebulose e filamentose ... e notai inoltre diversi casi di forma radiate a punte dritte distintissime.3 Tacchini and Secchi shared the same con- viction that the future of astronomy was in astrophysics, a borning discipline which ap- plied spectral analysis to starlight. Many as- tronomers did not accept this view and pre- ferred to confine astronomy simply in the range of celestial mechanics, showing a sort of hos- tility towards astrophysics, as Tacchini wrote to Secchi: ... in tutti gli uomini avvezzi alle for- mole si trova una ripugnanza eccessiva per l’astronomia fisica: mentre per la scienza a me pare che sia di eguale interesse l’arrivare a conoscere la composizione di una protuber- anza come l’orbita di un pianeta o di una stella 4 Fig. 2. The Merz telescope installed by Tacchini at ... the Palermo Observatory in 1865; he used it to start Because of the same scientific interests, solar physics research in Palermo. Tacchini’s contacts with Secchi became more and more frequent; the two astronomers started a fruitful cooperation which led to the birth In October 1863 Tacchini therefore arrived of a scientific society, especially devoted to in Palermo and immediately worked at the in- the spectroscopic observations of the Sun. The stallation of the Merz Equatorial, last legacy of Societa` degli Spettroscopisti Italiani was estab- the Borbonic Government before its fall. Once lished in October 1871 by Secchi and Tacchini set the instrument, he paid special attention to with the aim to coordinate the solar spectro- the solar observations. In those years, some scopic research in Italy: controversies had arisen about the solar pho- ... il Secchi mi comunicava l’idea di for- tospheric features; important contributions on mare una societ`a di Spettroscopisti Italiani, this subject had been given by Angelo Secchi i quali lavorando di comune accordo e sec- S. J. (1818-1878) in Rome, who used a Merz ondo un programma stabilito, avrebbero dato equatorial identical to the one in Palermo. Of in poco tempo la richiesta serie di regolari e course, it was very interesting for Tacchini to continue osservazioni per la sicura ed accel- check Secchi’s observations with his own in- erata soluzione di importanti problemi relativi strument. alla fisica solare. 5 Tacchini started also spectroscopic obser- They involved in their programme other vations of the solar limb in 1871, when he ob- Italian astronomers working in the field of so- tained a good spectroscope acquired for ob- lar spectroscopy, such as Giuseppe Lorenzoni serving the total solar eclipse of 1870, visible (1843-1914) in Padua and Lorenzo Respighi from Sicily: he had been the most active orga- nizer of the Italian expedition and the Editor of 3 Tacchini, 1871, pp. 93-94. the Report of the Italian Committee. 4 Tacchini to Secchi, 08-02-1873 (Archives P. Thanks to his excellent ability in observing Universit Gregoriana, Fondo Angelo Secchi S. J., and drawing, Tacchini drafted one of the first 20, 88). classifications of the solar prominences: 5 Tacchini, 1872, p. 3. Chinnici: Pietro Tacchini 31 Fig. 3. Solar prominences observed by Tacchini in 1871. (1824-1889) in Rome. Tacchini became editor spectral lines were found confirming the exis- of the journal of the Society, the Memorie della tence of Venus’atmosphere. Societ`adegli Spettroscopisti Italiani (see pa- per by S. Serio) which can be rightfully con- On that occasion, Tacchini had the op- sidered the first astrophysical journal and had portunity to establish an astrophysical obser- so a good welcome from the international as- vatory in Calcutta, with the aim to have a tronomical community that they were awarded winter station for the solar spectroscopic ob- with a medal and a diploma in 1873 at the servations.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • The Lorenzoni-Tacchini Correspondence at Padova Observatory Archives:The "True" History of Italian Astronomy of the Second Half of the Nineteenth Century
    See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/259300597 The Lorenzoni-Tacchini Correspondence at Padova Observatory Archives:the "True" History of Italian Astronomy of the Second Half of the Nineteenth Century Article in The Journal of Astronomical Data · December 2004 CITATIONS READS 0 27 3 authors, including: Valeria Zanini National Institute of Astrophysics 21 PUBLICATIONS 18 CITATIONS SEE PROFILE Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects: History of Astronomy View project All content following this page was uploaded by Valeria Zanini on 08 November 2018. The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file. ASTRONOMICAL HERITAGES: Astronomical Archives and Historic Transits of Venus Journal of Astronomical Data, Vol. 10, 7, 2004 Christiaan Sterken, Hilmar W. Duerbeck, eds. The Lorenzoni-Tacchini Correspondence at Padova Observatory Archives: the “True” History of Italian Astronomy of the Second Half of the Nineteenth Century Luisa Pigatto1, Maurizio Salmaso2 and Valeria Zanini1 1INAF-Astronomical Observatory of Padova, Vicolo dell’Osservatorio 5, 35122 Padova, Italy 2Istituto Statale Istruzione Superiore J.F. Kennedy, Via De Gasperi 20, 35043 Monselice, Italy Abstract The correspondence between Giuseppe Lorenzoni and Pietro Tac- chini covers the period from 1870 to 1905. Two hundred and ninety original letters written by Tacchini to Lorenzoni and 177 rough copies of letters by Lorenzoni to Tacchini are preserved at the Padova Observatory Archives. Their friendship, which started in 1870 during the expedition to the total solar eclipse in Sicily, as well as their astronomical ability, were of great impor- tance for many events in Italian astronomy during the second half of the 19th century.
    [Show full text]
  • Mathematics, Faith and Politics During the Italian Risorgimento Snapshot Three - Unification Brings Choices
    Mathematics, Faith and Politics during the Italian Risorgimento Snapshot Three - Unification Brings Choices Introduction In the first two snapshots of this series we learned how mathematicians responded to changes taking place in the political, social and religious life in Italy in the first half of the nineteenth century. Accompanying these changes were changing views on the roles mathematics and mathematicians should play in society. We saw examples of Italian mathematicians who engaged in public debates over these ideas and others who set aside their differences to work towards common goals for Italian mathematics. Our third snapshot looks at the events of the decades on either side of the unification of the entire Italian Peninsula, which took place in 1870 (unification of all of Italy except Venetia and the Papal States had already occurred by 1860). This was a time when the Catholic Church and its scientists were trying to deal with the increasing secularization they saw in the world as well as the imminent loss of the pope’s temporal power and perhaps his influence in the world. We look at two eminent Catholic scientists, one a historian of mathematics and the other an astronomer, and show how they tried to reconcile faith and reason during an increasing secularization of science. We will see also how the Pope and the Catholic Church used their influence to further the image that the Church was not an opponent of science but rather the promoter of true science. We will then return to the Risorgimento mathematicians we encountered in Snapshot Two: Brioschi, Betti, Cremona, and Genocchi, and see how they began to channel their energies into nation building for the newly unified country.
    [Show full text]
  • 2016 Una-Società-Per-Astrofisica.Pdf
    Publication Year 2016 Acceptance in OA@INAF 2020-06-22T15:36:37Z Title An italian scientific Society for Astrophysics / Una Società scientifica italiana per þÿl Astrofisica Authors ZANINI, Valeria; ZAGGIA, Simone Handle http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12386/26176 starlightla nascita dell’astrofisica in italia / the origins of astrophysics in Italy a cura di ileana chinnici 5 padova 103 An italian scientific Society for Astrophysics Una Società scientifica italiana per l’Astrofisica Valeria Zanini, Simone Zaggia Valeria Zanini, Simone Zaggia All that can be seen around celestial bodies, on their external was appointed director of the observatory of solar phys- Tutto ciò che si può rilevare intorno ai corpi celesti, sulle loro dell’osservatorio di fisica solare di South Kensington a Lon- appearances, on the features of their surfaces, is certainly wor- ics at South Kensington (London) in 1879 after he demon- esteriori apparenze, sugli accidenti delle loro superfici, è certa- dra dopo che, come astronomo amatore, aveva dimostrato thy of being noticed and carefully contemplated; but in this re- strated his brilliant observational abilities in this field; or, mente degno di essere notato, attentamente contemplato; ma in brillanti capacità osservative in questo settore. O ancora di gard it has no astronomical interest (Santini 1853, p. 20). finally, Hermann Carl Vogel (1841-1907) who founded the riguardo astronomico non ha interesse (Santini 1853, p. 20). Hermann Carl Vogel (1841-1907) che fondò l’Osservatorio With these words in 1853 the most senior Italian astrono- Astrophysical Observatory in Potsdam, Germany in 1874. Così si esprimeva, nel 1853, Giovanni Santini (1787-1877), il astrofisico di Potsdam, in Germania, nel 1874.
    [Show full text]
  • Angelo Secchi and Nineteenth Century Science the Multidisciplinary Contributions of a Pioneer and Innovator Historical & Cultural Astronomy
    Historical & Cultural Astronomy Series Editors: W. Orchiston · M. Rothenberg · C. Cunningham Ileana Chinnici Guy Consolmagno Editors Angelo Secchi and Nineteenth Century Science The Multidisciplinary Contributions of a Pioneer and Innovator Historical & Cultural Astronomy Series Editor: WAYNE ORCHISTON, University of Southern Queensland, Australia ([email protected]) MARC ROTHENBERG, Smithsonian Institution (retired), USA ([email protected]) CLIFFORD CUNNINGHAM, University of Southern Queensland, Australia ([email protected]) Editorial Board: JAMES EVANS, University of Puget Sound, USA MILLER GOSS, National Radio Astronomy Observatory, USA DUANE HAMACHER, Monash University, Australia JAMES LEQUEUX, Observatoire de Paris, France SIMON MITTON, St. Edmund’s College Cambridge University, UK CLIVE RUGGLES, University of Leicester, UK VIRGINIA TRIMBLE, University of California Irvine, USA GUDRUN WOLFSCHMIDT, Institute for History of Science and Technology, Germany TRUDY BELL, Sky & Telescope, USA More information about this series at http://www.springer.com/series/15156 Ileana Chinnici • Guy Consolmagno Editors Angelo Secchi and Nineteenth Century Science The Multidisciplinary Contributions of a Pioneer and Innovator Editors Ileana Chinnici Guy Consolmagno INAF Vatican Observatory Osservatorio Astronomico di Palermo Vatican City State, Holy See Palermo, Italy ISSN 2509-310X ISSN 2509-3118 (electronic) Historical & Cultural Astronomy ISBN 978-3-030-58383-5 ISBN 978-3-030-58384-2 (eBook) https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-58384-2 © Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021 This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifcally the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microflms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed.
    [Show full text]