Tommaso Perelli (1704–1783) was an Italian astronomer. Born into a noble family of
Arezzo, Perelli was encouraged by his father to study
law
Law is a set of rules that are created and are enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior,Robertson, ''Crimes against humanity'', 90. with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. It has been vario ...
at 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 ...
, but
Guido Grandi
image:Guidograndi.jpg, Guido Grandi
Dom (title), Dom Guido Grandi, Camaldolese, O.S.B. Cam. (1 October 1671 – 4 July 1742) was an Italian monk, priest, philosopher, theologian, mathematician, and engineer.
Life
Grandi was born on 1 October ...
(1671–1742), an
abbot
Abbot is an ecclesiastical title given to the male head of a monastery in various Western religious traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not the head of a monastery. The ...
who was teaching
mathematics there, steered him toward
science
Science is a systematic endeavor that Scientific method, builds and organizes knowledge in the form of Testability, testable explanations and predictions about the universe.
Science may be as old as the human species, and some of the earli ...
. When his father died, Perelli abandoned the study of law for good. He decided to get a degree in
physics
Physics is the natural science that studies matter, its fundamental constituents, its motion and behavior through space and time, and the related entities of energy and force. "Physical science is that department of knowledge which r ...
and
medicine
Medicine is the science and practice of caring for a patient, managing the diagnosis, prognosis, prevention, treatment, palliation of their injury or disease, and promoting their health. Medicine encompasses a variety of health care pr ...
. He studied
astronomy
Astronomy () is a natural science that studies celestial objects and phenomena. It uses mathematics, physics, and chemistry in order to explain their origin and evolution. Objects of interest include planets, moons, stars, nebulae, g ...
and medicine at the
University of Bologna
The University of Bologna ( it, Alma Mater Studiorum – Università di Bologna, UNIBO) is a public research university in Bologna, Italy. Founded in 1088 by an organised guild of students (''studiorum''), it is the oldest university in continu ...
, and
Greek literature
Greek literature () dates back from the ancient Greek literature, beginning in 800 BC, to the modern Greek literature of today.
Ancient Greek literature was written in an Ancient Greek dialect, literature ranges from the oldest surviving writte ...
at the
University of Padua
The University of Padua ( it, Università degli Studi di Padova, UNIPD) is an Italian university located in the city of Padua, region of Veneto, northern Italy. The University of Padua was founded in 1222 by a group of students and teachers from ...
. He was then appointed by the
Tuscan government to the chair in astronomy at the University of Pisa, where he became a noted astronomer and hydraulics expert. He was the first to identify the hill of
Arcetri
Arcetri is a location in Florence, Italy, positioned among the hills south of the city centre.
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Landmarks
A number of historic buildings are situated there, including the house of the famous scientist Galileo Galilei (called '' Villa Il Gi ...
, near
Galileo's (1564–1642) last home,
Villa Il Gioiello
Villa il Gioiello ("The Jewel") is a villa in Florence, central Italy, famous for being one of the residences of Galileo Galilei, which he lived in from 1631 until his death in 1642. It is also known as Villa Galileo (not to be confused with the ...
, as ideal location for astronomical observations.
[Barsanti, Danilo, and Leonardo Rombai. Scienziati idraulici e territorialisti nella Toscana dei Medici e dei Lorena. Vol. 2. Centro editoriale toscano, 1994. p111-112]
List of works
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See also
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List of astronomers
The following is a list of astronomers, astrophysicists and other notable people who have made contributions to the field of astronomy. They may have won major prizes or awards, developed or invented widely used techniques or technologies within as ...
References
External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Perelli, Tommaso
Italian scientific instrument makers
18th-century Italian astronomers
1704 births
1783 deaths
People from Arezzo