Niccolò Zucchi (nonfiction): Difference between revisions

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[[File:Niccolò Zucchi.png|thumb|Niccolò Zucchi.]]'''Niccolò Zucchi''' (Italian pronunciation: [nikkoˈlɔ dˈdzukki; tˈtsukki]; December 6, 1586 – May 21, 1670) was an Italian Jesuit, astronomer, and physicist.
[[File:Niccolò Zucchi.png|thumb|Niccolò Zucchi.]]'''Niccolò Zucchi''' (Italian pronunciation: [nikkoˈlɔ dˈdzukki; tˈtsukki]; December 6, 1586 – May 21, 1670) was an Italian Jesuit, astronomer, and physicist.


As an astronomer he may have been the first to see the belts on the planet Jupiter (on May 17, 1630), and reported spots on Mars in 1640.
Zucchi published many books on science, including two works on the "philosophy of machines" (analyses of mechanics) in 1646 and 1649, and ''Optica philosophia'' in 1652. He also wrote an unpublished ''Optica statica'', which has not survived.


His "Optica philosophia experimentis et ratione a fundamentis constituta", published in 1652–56, described his 1616 experiments using a curved mirror instead of a lens as a telescope objective, which may be the earliest known description of a reflecting telescope. The book also demonstrates that phosphors generate rather than store light.
Zucchi wrote about were magnetism, barometers (denying the existence of the vacuum), and phosphors (demonstrating that phosphors generate rather than store light).


He also published two other works on mechanics and machines.
He incorrectly asserted that since Venus represents beauty, it is closer to the Sun than Mercury (which represents skill).
 
In 1623, Zucchi was a member of a Papal legate sent to the court of Ferdinand II. There he met [[Johannes Kepler (nonfiction)|Johannes Kepler]], the German mathematician and astronomer. Kepler encouraged Zucchi’s interest in astronomy. Zucchi maintained correspondence with Kepler after returning to Rome. At one point when Kepler was in financial difficulties, Zucchi, at the urging of the Jesuit scientist Father Paul Guldin, gave a telescope of his own design to Kepler, who mentioned the gift in his book “The Dream”.
 
Zucchi along with fellow Jesuit Daniello Bartoli may have been the first to see the belts on the planet Jupiter (on May 17, 1630).
 
Zucchi reported spots on Mars in 1640.
 
Bartoli wrote his Jesuit biography (1682).


== In the News ==
== In the News ==
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== Nonfiction cross-reference ==
== Nonfiction cross-reference ==


* [[Johannes Kepler (nonfiction)]]
* [[Physicist (nonfiction)]]
* [[Physicist (nonfiction)]]



Revision as of 21:02, 21 October 2017

Niccolò Zucchi.

Niccolò Zucchi (Italian pronunciation: [nikkoˈlɔ dˈdzukki; tˈtsukki]; December 6, 1586 – May 21, 1670) was an Italian Jesuit, astronomer, and physicist.

Zucchi published many books on science, including two works on the "philosophy of machines" (analyses of mechanics) in 1646 and 1649, and Optica philosophia in 1652. He also wrote an unpublished Optica statica, which has not survived.

Zucchi wrote about were magnetism, barometers (denying the existence of the vacuum), and phosphors (demonstrating that phosphors generate rather than store light).

He incorrectly asserted that since Venus represents beauty, it is closer to the Sun than Mercury (which represents skill).

In 1623, Zucchi was a member of a Papal legate sent to the court of Ferdinand II. There he met Johannes Kepler, the German mathematician and astronomer. Kepler encouraged Zucchi’s interest in astronomy. Zucchi maintained correspondence with Kepler after returning to Rome. At one point when Kepler was in financial difficulties, Zucchi, at the urging of the Jesuit scientist Father Paul Guldin, gave a telescope of his own design to Kepler, who mentioned the gift in his book “The Dream”.

Zucchi along with fellow Jesuit Daniello Bartoli may have been the first to see the belts on the planet Jupiter (on May 17, 1630).

Zucchi reported spots on Mars in 1640.

Bartoli wrote his Jesuit biography (1682).

In the News

Fiction cross-reference

Nonfiction cross-reference

External links: