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Giovanni Sante Gaspero Santini (b. Caprese in
Tuscany it, Toscano (man) it, Toscana (woman) , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = Citizenship , demographics1_footnotes = , demographics1_title1 = Italian , demogra ...
, 30 June 1786; d. Noventa Padovana, 26 June 1877) was an Italian astronomer and mathematician. He received his first instruction from his parental uncle, the Abbot Giovanni Battista Santini. After finishing his philosophical studies in the school year 1801-2, at the
seminary A seminary, school of theology, theological seminary, or divinity school is an educational institution for educating students (sometimes called ''seminarians'') in scripture, theology, generally to prepare them for ordination to serve as clergy ...
of Prato, he entered in 1802 the
University of Pisa The University of Pisa ( it, Università di Pisa, UniPi), officially founded in 1343, is one of the oldest universities in Europe. History The Origins The University of Pisa was officially founded in 1343, although various scholars place ...
. He very soon abandoned the study of law in order to devote himself, under the direction of Prof. Paoli and Abbot Pacchiano, exclusively to mathematics and the natural sciences. It appears that at Pisa, Santini still wore the cassock, with the consequence that in bibliographical dictionaries he still figures under the title of ''abate''. It is certain, however, that he never received major orders. In 1810 he married Teresa Pastrovich, and one year after her death, in 1843, he contracted a second marriage with Adriana Conforti, who outlived him. During his stay in Pisa he became friendly with the
rector Rector (Latin for the member of a vessel's crew who steers) may refer to: Style or title *Rector (ecclesiastical), a cleric who functions as an administrative leader in some Christian denominations *Rector (academia), a senior official in an edu ...
of the university and of the influential Vittorio Fossombroni. At their urgent suggestion Santini's family, especially his uncle, made great sacrifices to enable him to continue his studies in Milan (1805–1806) under
Barnaba Oriani Barnaba Oriani Royal Society of London, FRS FRSE (17 July 1752 – 12 November 1832) was an Italian priest, geodesist, astronomer and scientist. Life Oriani was born in Garegnano (now part of Milan), the son of a mason, and died in Milan. A ...
, Cesaris, and
Francesco Carlini Francesco Carlini (January 7, 1783 – August 29, 1862) was an Italian astronomer. Born in Milan, he became director of the Brera Astronomical Observatory there in 1832. He published ''Nuove tavole de moti apparenti del sole'' in 1832. In 1810 ...
. On 17 Oct., 1806, the Italian Government appointed him assistant to the director of the observatory at Padua, Abate Chiminello, whom he succeeded in 1814. In 1813 the university offered him the chair of astronomy, a position in which he was confirmed by the
Emperor Francis I Francis I (Francis Stephen; french: François Étienne; german: Franz Stefan; 8 December 1708 – 18 August 1765) was Holy Roman Emperor, Archduke of Austria, Duke of Lorraine and Bar, and Grand Duke of Tuscany. He became the ruler of the Hol ...
in 1818 after the Venetian territory had become part of Austria. In addition he taught for several years, as substitute, elementary
algebra Algebra () is one of the broad areas of mathematics. Roughly speaking, algebra is the study of mathematical symbols and the rules for manipulating these symbols in formulas; it is a unifying thread of almost all of mathematics. Elementary ...
, geometry, and higher mathematics. During the school years 1824-1825 and 1856-1857 he was rector of the university, and from 1845 to 1872 director of mathematical studies. Towards the end of 1873 he suffered repeatedly from fainting spells which were followed by a steadily increasing physical and mental weakness and final breakdown. He died in his ninety-first year at his villa, Noventa Padovana.


Astronomical work

Both as a practical and theoretical astronomer, Santini made the Observatory of Padua famous. When he took charge the observatory was located in an old fortified tower, in a reportedly precarious condition, but he refurbished it. In 1811 he determined the
latitude In geography, latitude is a coordinate that specifies the north– south position of a point on the surface of the Earth or another celestial body. Latitude is given as an angle that ranges from –90° at the south pole to 90° at the north pol ...
of Padua with the aid of
Gauss Johann Carl Friedrich Gauss (; german: Gauß ; la, Carolus Fridericus Gauss; 30 April 177723 February 1855) was a German mathematician and physicist who made significant contributions to many fields in mathematics and science. Sometimes refer ...
's method of three stars in the same altitude, and in 1815 again, with a new
repeating circle Developed from the reflecting circle, the repeating circle is an instrument for geodetic surveying, invented by Etienne Lenoir in 1784, while an assistant of Jean-Charles de Borda, who later improved the instrument. It was notable as being the ...
. In 1822, '24, and '28 he assisted the astronomical and
geodetic Geodesy ( ) is the Earth science of accurately measuring and understanding Earth's figure (geometric shape and size), orientation in space, and gravity. The field also incorporates studies of how these properties change over time and equivale ...
service of Italy by making observations in
longitude Longitude (, ) is a geographic coordinate that specifies the east– west position of a point on the surface of the Earth, or another celestial body. It is an angular measurement, usually expressed in degrees and denoted by the Greek lette ...
. Constantly striving to equip this institute in accordance with the latest requirements of science, he installed in 1823 a new Utzschneider equatorial, and in 1837 a new
meridian circle The meridian circle is an instrument for timing of the passage of stars across the local meridian, an event known as a culmination, while at the same time measuring their angular distance from the nadir. These are special purpose telescopes moun ...
. With these last he began at once to make zonal observations for a catalogue of stars between declination +10° and -10°, an undertaking which he carried out on a large scale, and which he, with the aid of his assistant, Trettenero, completed in 1857, after ten years of work. In 1843 he made a scientific journey through Germany, and meeting scientists in his own and related fields. In the Encke-Galle catalogue he is credited with the calculation of nineteen
comet A comet is an icy, small Solar System body that, when passing close to the Sun, warms and begins to release gases, a process that is called outgassing. This produces a visible atmosphere or coma, and sometimes also a tail. These phenomena ...
orbits. He acquired his greatest repute by his calculations of the orbital disturbances during the period from 1832-1852 caused by the great planets on the comet of Biela. The time and place of the appearance of this comet in 1846 corresponded exactly with previous calculations. In 1819-20 he published his ''Elementi di Astronomia'' (2nd ed., Padua, 1830), a work in two parts. In 1828 appeared his ''Teorica degli Stromenti Ottici'', also published in Padua, in which he explains by means of simple formulas the construction of the different kinds of telescopes, microscopes etc. A number of his dissertations on geodetic and astronomic subjects appeared in the annals of learned associations, in the ''Correspondence du Baron de Zach'', ''Astronomische Nachrichten'', etc. Besides some twenty Italian scientific societies, Santini became a member in 1825 of the London
Royal Astronomical Society (Whatever shines should be observed) , predecessor = , successor = , formation = , founder = , extinction = , merger = , merged = , type = NG ...
; in 1845 a corresponding member of the
Institut de France The (; ) is a French learned society, grouping five , including the Académie Française. It was established in 1795 at the direction of the National Convention. Located on the Quai de Conti in the 6th arrondissement of Paris, the institute ...
; and in 1847 member of the Kaiserliche Akademie der Wissenschaften of Vienna. When in 1866 Venice was separated from Austria, he became a corresponding member of the last-named association. Danish, Austrian, Spanish, and Italian decorations were bestowed upon him. A complete list of his writings may be found in the "Discorso" (pp. 42–67) by Lorenzoni, mentioned below.


References


Sources

;Attribution * Cites: **LORENZONI, ''Giovanni Santini, la sua vita e le sue opere. Discorso letto nella chiesa di S. Sofia in Padova'' (Padua, 1877); idem, In occasione del primo centenario dalla nascita dell' astronomo Santini (Padua, 1887); **POGGENDORFF, ''Biograf. litt. Handb.'', II (Leipzig, 1859) {{DEFAULTSORT:Santini, G 1787 births 1877 deaths 19th-century Italian astronomers People from the Province of Arezzo