Vincenzo Cerulli
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| Asteroids discovered: 1 | |
|---|---|
| 704 Interamnia | October 2, 1910 |
| Vincenzo Cerulli | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Born | 20 April 1859 Teramo, Italy |
| Died | 30 May 1927 (aged 68) Merate, Italy |
| Nationality | Italian |
| Fields | Astronomy |
Vincenzo Cerulli (20 April 1859 – 30 May 1927) was an Italian astronomer who owned a private observatory in Teramo, where he was born.[1]
Cerulli compiled a star catalog with Elia Millosevich. He also observed Mars and developed the theory that the Martian canals were not real but an optical illusion, a theory that was later confirmed.
He discovered one asteroid, 704 Interamnia, which is named after the Latin name for Teramo, and is notable for its relatively large diameter of approximately 350 km, which makes it one of the largest bodies in the traditional asteroid belt.[2][3]
A crater on Mars is named after Cerulli, as is the asteroid 366 Vincentina.
Cerulli died at Merate, Province of Lecco, in 1927.[1]
[edit] References
- ^ a b A. Di Legge Necr.: Rend. Lincei, app. al v. (6) 8 (1928), I-VIII]
- ^ 704 Interamnia 2003 Mar 23
- ^ 704 Interamnia (1910 KU). NASA
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