Giovanni Battista Riccioli

Giovanni Battista Riccioli
Giovanni Battista Riccioli
    Giovanni Battista Riccioli
     Catholic_Encyclopedia Giovanni Battista Riccioli
    Italian astronomer, b. at Ferrara 17 April, 1598; d. at Bologna 25 June, 1671. He entered the Society of Jesus 6 Oct., 1614. After teaching philosophy and theology for a number of years, chiefly at Parma and Bologna, he devoted himself, at the request of his superiors, entirely to the study of astronomy, which at that time, owing to the discoveries of Kepler and the new theories of Copernicus, was a subject of much discussion. Realizing the many defects of the traditional astronomy inherited from the ancients, he conceived the bold idea of undertaking a reconstruction of the science with a view to bringing it into harmony with contemporary progress. This led to his "Almagestum novum, astronomiam veterem novamque complectens" (2 vols., Bologna, 1651), considered by many the most important literary work of the Jesuits during the seventeenth century. The author in common with many scholars of the time, notably in Italy, rejected the Copernican theory, and in this work, admittedly of great erudition, gives an elaborate refutation in justification of the Roman Decrees of 1616 and 1633. He praises, however, the genius of Copernicus and readily admits the value of his system as a simple hypothesis. His sincerity in this connexion has been called into question by some, e.g. Wolf, but a study of the work shows beyond doubt that he wrote from conviction and with the desire of making known the truth. Riccioli's project also included a comparison of the unit of length of various nations and a more exact determination of the dimensions of the earth. His topographical measurements occupied him at intervals between 1644 and 1656, but defects of method have rendered his results of but little value. His most important contribution to astronomy was perhaps his detailed telescopic study of the moon, made in collaboration with P. Grimaldi. The latter's excellent lunar map was inserted in the "Almagestum novum", and the lunar nomenclature they adopted is still in use. He also made observations on Saturn's rings, though it was reserved for Huyghens to determine the true ring-structure. He was an ardent defender of the new Gregorian calendar. Though of delicate health, Riccioli was an indefatigable worker and, in spite of his opposition to the Copernican theory, rendered valuable services to astronomy and also to geography and chronology. His chief works are: "Geographiæ et hydrographiæ reformatæ libri XII" (Bologna, 1661); "Astronomia reformata" (2 vols., Bologna, 1665); "Chronologia reformata" (1669); "Tabula latitudinum et longitudinum" (Vienna, 1689).
    SOMMERVOGEL, Bibl. de la C. de J., VI (Paris, 1895), 1795; DELAMBRE, Hist. de l'Astronomie Moderne, II (Paris, 1821), 274; WOLF, Gesch. d. Astronomie (Munich, 1877), 434; WALSH, Catholic Churchmen in Science (2nd series, Philadelphia, 1909); LINSMEIER, Natur. u. Offenbarung, XLVII, 65 sqq.
    H. M. BROCK
    Transcribed by Thomas J. Bress

The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume VIII. — New York: Robert Appleton Company. . 1910.


Catholic encyclopedia.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать курсовую

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Giovanni Battista Riccioli — Infobox Scientist name = Giovanni Battista Riccioli box width = image width =150px caption = Giovanni Battista Riccioli birth date = April 17 1598 birth place = Ferrara, Italy death date = June 25 1671 death place = Bologna residence =… …   Wikipedia

  • Giovanni Battista Riccioli — Giovanni Riccioli Giovanni Riccioli, né le 17 avril 1598 à Ferrare (Italie) et décédé le 25 juin 1671 à Bologne (Italie) était un prêtre jésuite italien et astronome Il enseigna à Pavie et à Bologne. En 1650, il fut le premier à noter que Mizar… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Giovanni Battista — Giovanni Battista, was a common Italian given name (see Battista for those with the surname) in the 16th 18th centuries, which in English means John the Baptist . Common nicknames include Giambattista, Gianbattista or Giovambattista. The Genoese… …   Wikipedia

  • Giovanni Battista Guglielmini —     Giovanni Battista Guglielmini     † Catholic Encyclopedia ► Giovanni Battista Guglielmini     Scientist, b. at Bologna, 16 August, 1763; d. in the same city, l5 December, 1817. He is known as the first scientific experimenter on the… …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • Riccioli, Giovanni Battista — • Italian astronomer (1598 1671) Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin Knight. 2006 …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • Giovanni Battista Guglielmini — (b. at Bologna, 16 August1763; d. in the same city, 15 December1817) was an Italian physicist. He is known as the first scientific experimenter on the mechanical demonstration of the rotation of the earth. LifeHe received the tonsure in early… …   Wikipedia

  • Riccioli , Giovanni Battista — (1598–1671) Italian astronomer Born at Ferrara in Italy, Riccioli was a Jesuit priest who spent most of his life at Bologna where he was professor of astronomy. In 1651 he produced his famous work Almagestum novum (The New Almagest). It is in… …   Scientists

  • Giovanni Riccioli — Giovanni Battista Riccioli Nacimiento 17 de abril 1598 Ferrara, Italia Fallecimiento 25 de junio 1671 Bolonia Nacionalidad …   Wikipedia Español

  • Giovanni Riccioli — Giovanni Battista Riccioli oder Giambattista Riccioli (* 17. April 1598 in Ferrara; † 25. Juni 1671 in Bologna) war ein italienischer Priester (seit 1614 Jesuit) und Astronom. Bevor er sich ganz der Astronomie zuwandte, lehrte er viele Jahre an… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Riccioli —   [rit tʃɔːli], Giovanni Battista, italienischer Astronom, * Ferrara 17. 4. 1598, ✝ Bologna 25. 6. 1671; Jesuit; Professor in Parma und Bologna, lehnte das kopernikanische System ab; erstellte mit F. M. Grimaldi eine Mondkarte und führte die… …   Universal-Lexikon

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”