Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Highlights on the History of Physics in Milan Before 1924

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
The Milan Institute of Physics

Part of the book series: History of Physics ((HIPHY))

  • 222 Accesses

Abstract

In the history of physics in Milan before 1924 two cases are especially noteworthy as the scientific activity was intertwined with the birth and the development of two of the most important research and high education institutions in the city: the Osservatorio Astronomico di Brera (Brera Astronomical Observatory) and the Politecnico di Milano (Polytechnic University of Milano). This is why the chapter will focus on these two cases, selecting some highlights about remarkable characters and particularly interesting episodes of their history. Some of them are also interesting because they refer to disciplinary areas that afterwords developed in autonomous research fields, as meteorology or geomagnetism.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 119.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 159.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 159.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Notes

  1. 1.

    In February 1760 a decisive event was the observation of a comet not previously documented by other observers, by the Jesuits Giuseppe Bovio and Domenico Gerra, both being men of letters at the College. On the history of the Brera Astronomical Observatory see: [3, 16, 19].

  2. 2.

    At this time Pavia university was the nearest reference for Milan. The first university in Milan, devoted to a wide variety of scientific fields (as well as humanities, and laws) is the Università degli Studi di Milano, founded in 1924. Moreover, in Milan there were no scientific academies that could have played a main role for the development of knowledge in many of the fields of physics, like for example the Accademia del Cimento in the 17th century in Florence. In 1810 in Palazzo Brera was established the Istituto Reale di Scienze, Lettere e Arti, later called Istituto Lombardo Accademia di Scienze e Lettere, whose first president was Alessandro Volta.

  3. 3.

    These are just some examples of the accurate evaluation the astronomers were used to make; it also has to be taken into account that the instrumental equipment was provided according to its quality, although under limited resources available, and with reference to what was in use in other institutions in Europe. The first equipment included a sextant and mural instrument by Canivet (Paris, France) made in the ‘60s of 18th century, as well as two Dollond refractor telescopes of the 70s. In this context, it was relevant the role of the technical assistant, who was very often a skilled instrument maker, like it was Joseph Megele (1740–1816), and later Carlo Grindel (1780–1854). Many of the instruments were in fact improved by them, according to original technical solutions, or entirely made. The compensated pendulum clock made by Megele (1798) is a significant example.

  4. 4.

    The astronomical ephemeris (Effemeridi Astronomiche) is an annual book that the Observatory published continuously from 1774 to 1874; it included the tables of the calculated positions for the Sun, the Moon and the planets for the following year, useful for observations; the second part was a summary of the reports of the activities carried out during the year. Among them, many were about celestial mechanics, on planets and other celestial objects.

  5. 5.

    The project for a scientific designed map had a long gestation in the previous years, also marked by disagreements among astronomers and the mathematician Paolo Frisi, involved in the process. The commitment from the Austrian government could finally promote the start of the works, developed around the following stages: the determination of the main and fundamental points, the location of the intermediate places, the design of the map, and the engraving of it.

  6. 6.

    The plates are preserved in the historical archive of the Brera Astronomical Observatory. An anastatic printing of the map was realized in 1992.

  7. 7.

    See [1, 8], pp. 95–96.

  8. 8.

    See [1, 8], pp. 140–142.

  9. 9.

    See [7], pp. 95–98.

  10. 10.

    See Schiaparelli, G. V.: Osservazioni sulle stelle doppie. Serie prima comprendente le misure di 465 sistemi eseguite col refrattore di otto pollici di Merz negli anni 1875–1885. Pubblicazioni del Reale Osservatorio di Brera in Milano, 1909, XLVI in [21], pp. 9–262; Schiaparelli, G. V.: Osservazioni sulle stelle doppie. Serie seconda comprendente le misure di 636 sistemi eseguite col refrattore equatoriale di Merz-Repsold negli anni 1886–1900. Pubblicazioni del Reale Osservatorio di Brera in Milano, 1888, XXXIII in [21], pp. 263–525.

  11. 11.

    A first history of the Polytechnic of Milano is due to Ferdinando Lori: former rector of the University of Padua he became professor of electrical engineering at the Milan Polytechnic [18].

  12. 12.

    The Law was enacted on 13th November 1859. It takes its name from Gabrio Casati, the Minister of Education of the Kingdom of Sardinia. In fact, as a result of the events in the Second War of the Independence, in 1859 there was the annexation of Lombardy by Sardinia-Piedmont Kingdom. The Law came into application in 1861, in the newly established Kingdom of Italy.

  13. 13.

    Carlo Cattaneo was convinced about the role of the scientific and technical knowledge in the improvement of the society; in 1839 he also founded the magazine Il Politecnico to foster the spread of the scientific and technical knowledge; in it, in 1862 he pointed out that the training of engineers should also have been based on mathematical skills and physics (See [7], p. 50).

  14. 14.

    See [23], pp. 51–70.

  15. 15.

    See [7], pp. 78–91.

References

  1. Basso Ricci M, Cafarella L, Meloni A, Tucci P (1997) Due secoli di strumenti geomagnetici in Italia (1740–1971). Editrice Compositori, Bologna

    Google Scholar 

  2. Boistel G (2005) L’observatoire des jésuits de Marseille sous la direction du père Esprit Pezenas (1728–1763). In: Boistel G (ed) Observatoires et Patrimoine Astronomique Français. Cahiers d’histoire et de philosophie des sciences, vol 54. SFHST/ENS Éditions, Lyon, pp. 32–45

    Google Scholar 

  3. Buccellati G (ed) (2000) I cieli di Brera. Astronomia da Tolomeo a Balla. Università degli Studi di Milano/Hoepli, Milano

    Google Scholar 

  4. Buffoni L, Chlistovsky F (1992) Precipitazioni giornaliere rilevate all’Osservatorio Astronomico di Brera in Milano dal 1835 al 1990. Edi-ermes, Milano

    Google Scholar 

  5. Buffoni L, Chlistovsky F, Maugeri M (1996) 1763–1995. 233 anni di rilevazioni termiche giornaliere a Milano-Brera. Edizioni CUSL, Milano

    Google Scholar 

  6. Buffoni L, Maugeri M, Mazzucchelli E (2002) La serie barometrica di Milano-Brera (1763–2000). Cusl, Milano

    Google Scholar 

  7. Canadelli E (ed) (2008) Milano scientifica 1875–1924. Vol. 1. Sironi, Milano

    Google Scholar 

  8. Carlini F (1830) Inclinazione dell’ago magnetico: esperienze fatte in Milano del fisico Quetelet. Biblioteca Italiana o sia Giornale di Letteratura, Scienze e Arti 59:122–128

    Google Scholar 

  9. De Cesaris A (1787) De Linea Meridiana Descripta in Templo Maximo Mediolani Anno MDCCLXXXVI. Commentarius Angeli De Cesaris. In: Ephemerides Astronomicae Anni Intercalaris 1788. Ad Meridiano Mediolanensem Supputatae. Osservatorio Astronomico di Brera, Milano, pp 123–148

    Google Scholar 

  10. De Cesaris A (1820) Del Clima della Lombardia, Osservazioni. Mem. di mat. e fis. d. Società ital. d. scienze [Modena], XVIII:57–99

    Google Scholar 

  11. Effemeridi Astronomiche di Milano per l’anno 1781 (1780) Osservatorio Astronomico di Brera, Milano

    Google Scholar 

  12. Effemeridi Astronomiche di Milano per l’anno 1782 (1781) Osservatorio Astronomico di Brera, Milano

    Google Scholar 

  13. Ferrari Da Passano C, Monti C, Mussio L (1877) La Meridiana Solare del Duomo di Milano. Veneranda Fabbrica del Duomo, Milano

    Google Scholar 

  14. Guzzardi L (2013) Boscovich, the discovery of Uranus and his inclination to theoretical astronomy. Mem SAIt Suppl 22:26–33

    Google Scholar 

  15. Herschel FW (1783) I. A letter from William Herschel. Esq F R S Philos Trans R Soc Lond 73:1–3

    Google Scholar 

  16. Kranjc A, Tagliaferri G, Tucci P, Valota R (1983) Da Brera a Marte. Storia dell’osservatorio astronomico di Milano. Nuovo Banco Ambrosiano, Milano

    Google Scholar 

  17. Lacaita CG (1990) L’intelligenza produttiva. Imprenditori, tecnici e operai nella Società d’Incoraggiamento d’Arti e Mestieri di Milano (1838–1988). Electa, Milano

    Google Scholar 

  18. Lori F (1924) Storia del R. Politecnico di Milano. Tip Cordani, Milano

    Google Scholar 

  19. Miotto E, Tagliaferri G, Tucci P (1989) La strumentazione nella storia dell’Osservatorio Astronomico di Brera. Unicopli, Milano

    Google Scholar 

  20. Schiaparelli GV (1881) Topografia e clima di Milano. Vallardi, Milano

    Google Scholar 

  21. Schiaparelli GV (1935) Le opere di G, Schiaparelli. VI Milano, Hoepli

    Google Scholar 

  22. Selvafolta O (2008) Paesaggi della tecnica e paesaggi dell’arte: i viaggi di istruzione al Politecnico di Milano tra Otto e Novecento. in Annali di Storia delle Università Italiane. CISUI, Bologna, pp 119–145

    Google Scholar 

  23. Silvestri A (ed) (2000) Francesco Brioschi e il suo tempo (1824–1897). Franco Angeli, Milano

    Google Scholar 

  24. Silvestri A (2011) Il progetto di riforma scolastica dell’Istituto Lombardo (1848, relatore Carlo Cattaneo) e la legge Casati (1959). Istituto Lombardo (Rend Scienze) 145:157–181

    Google Scholar 

  25. Tagliaferri G, Tucci P (1987) Il contributo degli astronomi di Brera alla determinazione dell’orbita di Urano. Giornale di Astronomia 13, 4:8–14

    Google Scholar 

  26. Tagliaferri G, Tucci P (1999) Carlini and Plana on the theory of the Moon and their dispute with Laplace. Ann Sci 56(3):221–269

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento di Bioscienze, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy

    Antonella Testa

Authors
  1. Antonella Testa
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Antonella Testa .

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2022 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Testa, A. (2022). Highlights on the History of Physics in Milan Before 1924. In: The Milan Institute of Physics. History of Physics. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-99516-4_1

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation