| Description | Title page of 'Eminentissimo Principi Flavio Chisio S. R. E. Cardinali. Quod in Saturno et Ioue Vitreis Lentibus Torno a se nuper inuento formatis deprehendit. Et Romae primus oculis spectandum exhibuit Joseph Campanus. Obsequii et observantiae argumentum DD' [For the eminent Prince, the cardinal of St. Chisii. That there has been found of late, through glass lens, found out that the formation of Saturn and of Jupiter. The eyes were the first to see Jupiter. Compliance and respectable argument.] The engraving shows observations by Giuseppe Campani, astronomer and instrument-maker, of the rings of Saturn and the satellites of Jupiter.
Subject: Planets / Astronomy |
| Administrative history | Giussepe Campani observed Saturn as a central globe surrounded by a ring, which he published as 'Ragguaglio di due nuove osservazioni' [Summary of two new observations] (1664). Adrian Auzout agreed that there was a shadow on the lower part, but objected to the continuous dark band on the interior edge of the ring at the top of the of figure. Auzout expressed his objections in his Lettre à M. l’Abbé Charles (1665). Campani had in fact observed what is now known as the crêpe ring of Saturn (see Albert Van Helden, 'Annulo Cingitur: The Solution of the Problem of Saturn', Journal of the History of Astronomy, 5 (1974), 155-74 (pp. 167-68)). |