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Annibale de Gasparis

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Annibale de Gasparis
Annibale de Gasparis
Born(1819-11-09)9 November 1819
Bugnara,[1]Abruzzo,Kingdom of the Two Sicilies
Died21 March 1892(1892-03-21)(aged 72)
Naples,Campania,Kingdom of Italy
NationalityItalian
Alma materUniversity of Naples
Known forDiscovery of asteroids
AwardsLalande Prize(1849–53)
Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society(1851)
Scientific career
FieldsMathematics,astronomy,celestial mechanics
InstitutionsAstronomical Observatory of Capodimonte,University of Naples Federico II
Signature

Annibale de Gasparis(Italian pronunciation:[anˈniːbaledeˈɡasparis];9 November 1819 – 21 March 1892) was an Italianastronomer,known for discovering asteroids and his contributions totheoretical astronomy.

Biography[edit]

De Gasparis was born in 1819 inBugnarato Angelo de Gasparis and Eleonora Angelantoni[1]originally fromTocco da Casauria.Son of a doctor, he studied in the seminars ofSulmonaandChieti,becoming passionate of classic novels and learning mathematics as a self-taught person. In 1838 he arrived inNaplesto study engineering at the School of Bridges and Roads, today's Engineering faculty ofNaples University,and the following year he was accepted as a student at theAstronomical Observatory of Capodimonteby the directorErnesto Capocci.He studiedmathematicsandcelestial mechanicsand in 1845 he published his first scientific paper on the orbit of theminor planetVesta.[2]For this studies he earned, as early as 1846, the honorary degree in mathematics by the University of Naples.[3]

In 1848 he participated in theliberal movements,he avoided the Bourbon repression dedicating to the KingFerdinand IIhis first discovery: the asteroidHygiea,made on 12 April 1849 with the equatorial telescope of Reichenbach & Utzschneider, giving it the name ofIgea Borbonica.In 1850, Capocci was dismissed as director of the observatory due to his participation in the liberal revolts. De Gasparis refused to assume the position of observatory director in deference to his mentor and friend Capocci.[4]

In 1858 he was appointed professor of astronomy in Naples University.[3]

After the death of Capocci, 6 January 1864, he was appointed as director of theAstronomical Observatory of CapodimonteinNaples.[5]Due to his illness he left the observatory in 1889 going to live in a country house not far from the Observatory.

De Gasparis married Giuseppina Russo in 1848, and they had 9 children together, 3 of which died in infancy.[3]

De Gasparis published more than 200 scientific papers on mathematics, celestial mechanics, astronomy and meteorology.[3]

He and others occasionally wrote his name asAnnibal de Gasparis.[6]

Discoveries[edit]

Annibale de Gasparis discovered visually the following nineasteroids.In addition, he also independently discovered14 Irene,which discovery was, however, credited to the English astronomerJohn Russell Hind.[5][7]

Minor planetsdiscovered: 9 [8]
10 Hygiea 12 April 1849
11 Parthenope 11 May 1850
13 Egeria 2 November 1850
15 Eunomia 29 July 1851
16 Psyche 17 March 1852
20 Massalia 19 September 1852
24 Themis 5 April 1853
63 Ausonia 10 February 1861
83 Beatrix 26 April 1865

Honors and awards[edit]

He won theGold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Societyin 1851.[9]He was also awarded theLalande Prizefrom 1849 to 1853.[10]

On 20 January 1861 he was appointed Senator of theKingdom of Italyfor his high scientific merits.[11]

Recipient of theOrder of the Red Eagle,and of theOrder of the Rose.[12]

The main-belt asteroid4279 De Gasparisas well as the 30-kilometer lunar craterde Gasparisand the nearby 93-kilometer long fractureRimae de Gasparis,are named in his honour.[5]

References[edit]

  1. ^abHockey, Thomas (2009).The Biographical Encyclopedia of Astronomers.Springer Publishing.ISBN978-0-387-31022-0.Retrieved22 August2012.
  2. ^Gargano, Mauro; Palma, Paolo (2020)."Annibale de Gasparis: il giardiniere del cielo di Napoli".Giornale di Astronomia.46(3): 4–13.doi:10.19272/202008803001.ISSN0390-1106.
  3. ^abcdVirginia Trimble; Thomas R. Williams; Katherine Bracher; Richard Jarrell; Jordan D. Marché; F. Jamil Ragep (2007).Biographical Encyclopedia of Astronomers - Annibale De Gasparis.Springer Science & Business Media. p. 408.ISBN978-0-387-30400-7.
  4. ^Gargano, Mauro (2011)."Ausonia: il pianetino dell'Unità d'Italia".Giornale di Astronomia(in Italian).37(4): 10–20.doi:10.1400/175056.ISSN1724-0468.
  5. ^abcSchmadel, Lutz D. (2007). "(4279) de Gasparis".Dictionary of Minor Planet Names.Springer Berlin Heidelberg.p. 367.doi:10.1007/978-3-540-29925-7_4239.ISBN978-3-540-00238-3.
  6. ^Letter from de GasparisArchived25 November 2015 at theWayback MachinetoBenjamin Valzannouncing the discovery of10 Hygieain 1849
  7. ^"14 Irene".Minor Planet Center.Retrieved16 June2016.
  8. ^"Minor Planet Discoverers (by number)".Minor Planet Center.23 May 2016.Retrieved16 June2016.
  9. ^"Gold Medal Winners"(PDF).RAS. 2019.Retrieved15 July2019.
  10. ^A. Gaudin (Paris) (10 March 1854)."Academie des Sciences".La Lumière.Société héliographique (France).
  11. ^Gargano, Mauro (2012)."Annibale de Gasparis".Polvere di Stelle: the cultural heritage of Italian astronomy.Retrieved9 July2022.
  12. ^"Annibale De Gasparis, Senato della Repubblica".notes9.senato.it.Retrieved17 July2019.

External links[edit]

  • Airy, G. B.(1851). "An Address delivered at the Annual General Meeting of the Society, February 15, 1851, on presenting the Honorary medal to Dr. Annibale de Gasparis".Memoirs of the Royal Astronomical Society.20:226–230.Bibcode:1851MmRAS..20..226A.
  • Gargano, M.; Palma, P. (2019)."Annibale de Gasparis Correspondence".Stardust: The Cultural Heritage of Italian Astronomy.


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