Giovanni Inghirami
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Giovanni Inghirami, Sch.P., (April 16, 1779 – August 15, 1851) was an Italian
astronomer An astronomer is a scientist in the field of astronomy who focuses their studies on a specific question or field outside the scope of Earth. They observe astronomical objects such as stars, planets, natural satellite, moons, comets and galaxy, g ...
, as well as being a
Catholic priest The priesthood is the office of the ministers of religion, who have been commissioned ("ordained") with the Holy orders of the Catholic Church. Technically, bishops are a priestly order as well; however, in layman's terms ''priest'' refers only ...
and
Piarist The Piarists (), officially named the Order of Poor Clerics Regular of the Mother of God of the Pious Schools ( la, Ordo Clericorum Regularium pauperum Matris Dei Scholarum Piarum), abbreviated SchP, is a religious order of clerics regular of the ...
. There is a valley on the moon named
Vallis Inghirami Vallis Inghirami (latin for Inghirami Valley) is a valley on far side of the Moon which is a natural satellite of planet Earth. Diameter of the valley is about 145 km. Lunar co-ordinates of the valley are . Valley is named after Giovanni Inghirami ...
after him as well as a
crater Crater may refer to: Landforms *Impact crater, a depression caused by two celestial bodies impacting each other, such as a meteorite hitting a planet *Explosion crater, a hole formed in the ground produced by an explosion near or below the surfac ...
.


Life

Inghirami was born in
Volterra Volterra (; Latin: ''Volaterrae'') is a walled mountaintop town in the Tuscany region of Italy. Its history dates from before the 8th century BC and it has substantial structures from the Etruscan, Roman, and Medieval periods. History Volter ...
,
Tuscany Tuscany ( ; it, Toscana ) is a Regions of Italy, region in central Italy with an area of about and a population of about 3.8 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence (''Firenze''). Tuscany is known for its landscapes, history, art ...
, in 1779. His family produced two other distinguished scholars,
Tommaso Tommaso is an Italian given name. It has also been used as a surname. Notable people with the name include: Given name A * Tommaso Acquaviva d'Aragona (1600–1672), Roman Catholic prelate * Tommaso Aldrovandini (1653–1736), Italian painter of ...
(1470–1516) (a
humanist Humanism is a philosophical stance that emphasizes the individual and social potential and agency of human beings. It considers human beings the starting point for serious moral and philosophical inquiry. The meaning of the term "humani ...
scholar), and his brother, Francesco (1772–1846), an
archaeologist Archaeology or archeology is the scientific study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture, biofacts or ecofacts, sites, and cultural landscap ...
. Inghirami's education was received in his native city at the College of Saint Michael. He joined the religious Order of the Piarist Fathers at the age of 17, and later became professor of mathematics and philosophy at the Pious Schools of Volterra, where one of his pupils was the future
Pope Pius IX Pope Pius IX ( it, Pio IX, ''Pio Nono''; born Giovanni Maria Mastai Ferretti; 13 May 1792 – 7 February 1878) was head of the Catholic Church from 1846 to 1878, the longest verified papal reign. He was notable for convoking the First Vatican ...
. In 1805 he traveled to the north of Italy, and was engaged for some months in scientific work at
Milan Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city h ...
. He was called to
Florence Florence ( ; it, Firenze ) is a city in Central Italy and the capital city of the Tuscany region. It is the most populated city in Tuscany, with 383,083 inhabitants in 2016, and over 1,520,000 in its metropolitan area.Bilancio demografico an ...
to fill the twofold office of professor of mathematics and astronomy at the Piarist College there. Inghirami's first publications were articles on hydraulics, statics, and astronomy, astronomical tables, and elementary text-books on mathematics and mathematical geography. In 1830 after observations extending over fourteen years, he published, with the patronage of the Grand Duke
Ferdinand III of Tuscany Ferdinand is a Germanic name composed of the elements "protection", "peace" (PIE "to love, to make peace") or alternatively "journey, travel", Proto-Germanic , abstract noun from root "to fare, travel" (PIE , "to lead, pass over"), and "co ...
, a "Carta topografica e geometica della Toscana" on the scale of 1:200,000. When the Berlin Academy of Sciences undertook the construction of an exhaustive astronomical atlas, Inghirami was assigned a section. His performance of this task won great praise. he became successively Provincial Superior and
Superior General A superior general or general superior is the leader or head of a religious institute in the Catholic Church and some other Christian denominations. The superior general usually holds supreme executive authority in the religious community, while t ...
of his Order, but his failing health and his love for scientific work caused him to resign the latter office, which had required his taking up residence in Rome, and to accept the position of
Vicar General A vicar general (previously, archdeacon) is the principal deputy of the bishop of a diocese for the exercise of administrative authority and possesses the title of local ordinary. As vicar of the bishop, the vicar general exercises the bishop's ...
of the Order. He returned to Florence and, although almost blind for some years, continued his teaching until a few months before his death in that city.


Notable scientific literature

*Several articles published in the "Astronomische Nachrichten" and in Zach's "Monatliche Correspondenz zur Beförderung der Erd- u. Himmelskunde" *"collezione di opusculi e notizie di Scienze" (4 vols., Florence, 1820–30) *"Tavole Astronomiche universali portatili" (ibid., 1811) *"Effemeridi di Venere e Giove ad uso di naviganti pel meridiano di Parigi" (ibid., 1821–24).


See also

*
List of Roman Catholic scientist-clerics A ''list'' is any set of items in a row. List or lists may also refer to: People * List (surname) Organizations * List College, an undergraduate division of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America * SC Germania List, German rugby union ...


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Inghirami, Giovanni 1779 births 1851 deaths People from Volterra Piarists 19th-century Italian Roman Catholic priests 19th-century Italian astronomers Catholic clergy scientists