Astronomical Observatory of Capodimonte: Difference between revisions
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The Astronomical Observatory is the oldest scientific institution in Naples, and plays also an important role to promote and disseminate the scientific culture and the astronomical knowledge in the society. For this purpose it houses some outreach facilities like a [[planetarium]] and a 40-cm telescope, and owns an important collection of ancient astronomical instruments exhibited in the [http://www.beniculturali.inaf.it/eng/museums/napoli MuSA-Museum of Astronomical Instruments], and a rare and valuable old books preserved in the [http://www.beniculturali.inaf.it/eng/libraries/napoli/#history Ancient library]. |
The Astronomical Observatory is the oldest scientific institution in Naples, and plays also an important role to promote and disseminate the scientific culture and the astronomical knowledge in the society. For this purpose it houses some outreach facilities like a [[planetarium]] and a 40-cm telescope, and owns an important collection of ancient astronomical instruments exhibited in the [http://www.beniculturali.inaf.it/eng/museums/napoli MuSA-Museum of Astronomical Instruments], and a rare and valuable old books preserved in the [http://www.beniculturali.inaf.it/eng/libraries/napoli/#history Ancient library]. |
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The Astronomical Observatory of Naples was established by [[Joseph Bonaparte]] with a decree dated [[29 January]] [[1807]] in the ancient monastery of San Gaudioso on the Caponapoli hill. The astronomer [[Giuseppe Cassella]] was the first director of the Neapolitan specola. When [[Joachim Murat]] was appointed king of Naples, he approved [[8 March]] [[1812]] the foundation of a new Observatory on the Miradois hill, a site not far from the [[Palace of Capodimonte|royal palace of Capodimonte]]. The astronomer [[Federigo Zuccari]]<ref>[http://www.beniculturali.inaf.it/mostre/zuccari Federigo Zuccari: l'astronomo gentile]</ref> and the architect [[Stefano Gasse]] conceived a monumental building in the [[Neoclassical architecture|neoclassical]] style, the first to be designed in the capital of the [[Kingdom of Naples]]. On [[4 November]] [[1812]] the foundation stone of the new observatory was laid with a solemn ceremony presided over by Interior Minister [[Giuseppe Zurlo]]. Defined by the astronomer [[Franz Xaver von Zach]] |
The Astronomical Observatory of Naples was established by [[Joseph Bonaparte]] with a decree dated [[29 January]] [[1807]] in the ancient monastery of San Gaudioso on the Caponapoli hill. The astronomer [[Giuseppe Cassella]] was the first director of the Neapolitan specola. When [[Joachim Murat]] was appointed king of Naples, he approved [[8 March]] [[1812]] the foundation of a new Observatory on the Miradois hill, a site not far from the [[Palace of Capodimonte|royal palace of Capodimonte]]. The astronomer [[Federigo Zuccari]]<ref>[http://www.beniculturali.inaf.it/mostre/zuccari Federigo Zuccari: l'astronomo gentile]</ref> and the architect [[Stefano Gasse]] conceived a monumental building in the [[Neoclassical architecture|neoclassical]] style, the first to be designed in the capital of the [[Kingdom of Naples]]. On [[4 November]] [[1812]] the foundation stone of the new observatory was laid with a solemn ceremony presided over by Interior Minister [[Giuseppe Zurlo]]. Defined by the astronomer [[Franz Xaver von Zach]] “The Vesuvius of Astronomy erupting gold”<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/960066283|title=Che il diavolo benedica i Pulcinella! : cronache napoletane, scientifiche e non, dell'astronomo von Zach|last=|first=|publisher=Tullio Pironti Editore|others=Gargano, Mauro, Olostro Cirella, Emilia, and Della Valle, Massimo (edited by)|year=2015|isbn=9788879377027|location=Napoli|pages=|oclc=960066283}}</ref>, the new observatory was equipped with a most advanced collection of new telescopes, like the [[Joseph von Fraunhofer|Fraunhofer]] equatorial [[telescope]] with an [[Objective_(optics)|objective]] of 17.5 cm, the biggest one ever made until that time, and two [[repeating circle]] realised by the Reichenbach & Utzschneider Company in [[Munich]]<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-41486-7_7|title=Merz Telescopes|last=Gargano|first=Mauro|date=2017|publisher=Springer International Publishing|year=2017|isbn=9783319414850|series=Historical & Cultural Astronomy|location=|pages=115–136|language=en|doi=10.1007/978-3-319-41486-7_7}}</ref>. |
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The construction works ended in 1819, when [[Ferdinand|Ferdinand_I_of_the_Two_Sicilies I of Bourbon]] returned to Naples, under the supervision of the astronomer [[Giuseppe Piazzi]] and architect [[Pietro Bianchi]]. On the evening of [[17 December]] [[1819]] the astronomer [[Carlo Brioschi]] made the first observation from the new building observing the star [[Alpha Cassiopeiae|α Cassiopeia]]<ref>M. Gargano, E. Olostro Cirella, M. Della Valle, <i> Il Tempio di Urania: progetti per una specola astronomica a Napoli</i>, 2012</ref>. |
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In 1812 Zuccari established also an astronomical library in the san Gaudioso observatory. In four years the collection grew from 195 to 620 books. Zuccari acquired some of these books from the Berlin astronomer [[Johann Elert Bode]], the secretary of Neapolitan embassy in Vienna Severo Gargani, and the Paris booksellers of the King of the Two Sicilies, Borel and Pichard<ref>[http://www.beniculturali.inaf.it/easyne2/LYT.aspx?Code=INAF&IDLYT=8480&ST=SQL&SQL=ID_Documento=108 History of the Observatory library]</ref>. |
In 1812 Zuccari established also an astronomical library in the san Gaudioso observatory. In four years the collection grew from 195 to 620 books. Zuccari acquired some of these books from the [[Berlin]] astronomer [[Johann Elert Bode]], the secretary of Neapolitan embassy in [[Vienna]] Severo Gargani, and the [[Paris]] booksellers of the King of the Two Sicilies, Borel and Pichard<ref>[http://www.beniculturali.inaf.it/easyne2/LYT.aspx?Code=INAF&IDLYT=8480&ST=SQL&SQL=ID_Documento=108 History of the Observatory library]</ref>. |
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In the middle of [[1815]], [[Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies|Ferdinand I of Bourbon]] was back to being the king of Naples and he called in the capital the astronomer [[Giuseppe Piazzi]] to supervise the conclusion of building works with the help of [[Pietro Bianchi]], the architect of [[San Francesco di Paola, Naples|Basilica of San francesco di Paola]]. The new observatory was completed in the autumn of 1819. The astronomer [[Carlo Brioschi]] made the first observation from the Observatory est dome in the night of [[17 December]] [[1819]] observing the star [[Alpha Cassiopeiae|α Cassiopeia]]<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/811273628|title=Il tempio di Urania : progetti per una specola astronomica a Napoli|last=Gargano|first=Mauro|last2=Olostro Cirella|first2=Emilia|last3=Della Valle|first3=Massimo|date=2012|publisher=INAF - Osservatorio astronomico di Capodimonte|year=2012|isbn=9788890729409|location=Napoli|pages=|oclc=811273628}}</ref>. |
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==References== |
==References== |
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Revision as of 22:19, 18 February 2018
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| Alternative names | OAC |
|---|---|
| Observatory code | 044  |
| Location | Naples, Metropolitan City of Naples, Campania, Italy |
| Coordinates | 40°51′46″N 14°15′18″E / 40.86286°N 14.25506°E |
| Altitude | 150 m (490 ft) |
| Established | 17 December 1819 |
| Website | www |
| Telescopes |
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  Location of Astronomical Observatory of Capodimonte | |
 Related media on Commons | |
The Astronomical Observatory of Capodimonte (Italian: Osservatorio Astronomico di Capodimonte) is the Neapolitan department of Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica (National Institute for Astrophysics, INAF), the most important Italian institution promoting, developing and conducting scientific research in the fields of astronomy, astrophysics, and space science.
The Astronomical Observatory is located in Naples, Italy, on Capodimonte hill, where the splendid panorama of the city and bay of Naples from Vesuvius to Castel Sant'Elmo passing trough Sorrento and Capri can be admired. The Observatory is engaged in several relevant international projects and researches, such as Solar Orbiter and ExoMars missions, gravitational waves studies, and observational instruments development for E-ELT, the next generation huge telescope.
The Astronomical Observatory is the oldest scientific institution in Naples, and plays also an important role to promote and disseminate the scientific culture and the astronomical knowledge in the society. For this purpose it houses some outreach facilities like a planetarium and a 40-cm telescope, and owns an important collection of ancient astronomical instruments exhibited in the MuSA-Museum of Astronomical Instruments, and a rare and valuable old books preserved in the Ancient library.
The Astronomical Observatory of Naples was established by Joseph Bonaparte with a decree dated 29 January 1807 in the ancient monastery of San Gaudioso on the Caponapoli hill. The astronomer Giuseppe Cassella was the first director of the Neapolitan specola. When Joachim Murat was appointed king of Naples, he approved 8 March 1812 the foundation of a new Observatory on the Miradois hill, a site not far from the royal palace of Capodimonte. The astronomer Federigo Zuccari[1] and the architect Stefano Gasse conceived a monumental building in the neoclassical style, the first to be designed in the capital of the Kingdom of Naples. On 4 November 1812 the foundation stone of the new observatory was laid with a solemn ceremony presided over by Interior Minister Giuseppe Zurlo. Defined by the astronomer Franz Xaver von Zach “The Vesuvius of Astronomy erupting gold”[2], the new observatory was equipped with a most advanced collection of new telescopes, like the Fraunhofer equatorial telescope with an objective of 17.5 cm, the biggest one ever made until that time, and two repeating circle realised by the Reichenbach & Utzschneider Company in Munich[3].
In 1812 Zuccari established also an astronomical library in the san Gaudioso observatory. In four years the collection grew from 195 to 620 books. Zuccari acquired some of these books from the Berlin astronomer Johann Elert Bode, the secretary of Neapolitan embassy in Vienna Severo Gargani, and the Paris booksellers of the King of the Two Sicilies, Borel and Pichard[4].
In the middle of 1815, Ferdinand I of Bourbon was back to being the king of Naples and he called in the capital the astronomer Giuseppe Piazzi to supervise the conclusion of building works with the help of Pietro Bianchi, the architect of Basilica of San francesco di Paola. The new observatory was completed in the autumn of 1819. The astronomer Carlo Brioschi made the first observation from the Observatory est dome in the night of 17 December 1819 observing the star α Cassiopeia[5].
References
- ^ Federigo Zuccari: l'astronomo gentile
- ^ Che il diavolo benedica i Pulcinella! : cronache napoletane, scientifiche e non, dell'astronomo von Zach. Gargano, Mauro, Olostro Cirella, Emilia, and Della Valle, Massimo (edited by). Napoli: Tullio Pironti Editore. 2015. ISBN 9788879377027. OCLC 960066283.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link) - ^ Gargano, Mauro (2017). Merz Telescopes. Historical & Cultural Astronomy. Springer International Publishing. pp. 115–136. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-41486-7_7. ISBN 9783319414850.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link) - ^ History of the Observatory library
- ^ Gargano, Mauro; Olostro Cirella, Emilia; Della Valle, Massimo (2012). Il tempio di Urania : progetti per una specola astronomica a Napoli. Napoli: INAF - Osservatorio astronomico di Capodimonte. ISBN 9788890729409. OCLC 811273628.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
External links
- Observatory home page
- The Capodimonte Astronomical Observatory Historical Archive: A Multipurpose Tool
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