Cultural Astronomy Archaeoastronomy Ethnoastronomy History of Astronomy

Cultural Astronomy

ArchaeoastronomyEthnoastronomyHistory of Astronomy

PROBLEMS

•The unity of knowledge

•Need of a method for studying the past

•Archaeoastronomy: an interdisciplinary field

•Archaeoastronomy as a science

•Semantics (archaeoastronomy vs. astroarchaeology)

ARCHAEOASTRONOMY: a research field based on the ‘astronomical’ analysis of monuments and archaeological finds of the past; it offers new material for archaeological, anthropological and ethnological studies. The observation of the sky had a fundamental impact on the history of mankind, on the life and on the thought.

History of Astronomy

1762

Astronomy in Milan

Enlightenment in Italy

-Main period: from 1750 to 1780

-Milan: C. Beccaria, P. Verri, A. Verri, G. Parini, P. Frisi

-Naples: A. Genovesi, F. Galiani, G. Filangeri

- F. Algarotti, P. Neri, P. Giannone, A. Zanon, G. Gozzi, A. Radicati, V. Alfieri, C. Goldoni

1763

Mathematics, Geometry, Optics, Astronomy, Geodesy, Engineering, Hydraulics, Poetry,Diplomat

1725 -1756: Rome

1711-1725: Ragusa (Dubrovnik)

1756 - 1758: Lucca, Wien, Rome

1759 - 1763: France (Paris), London, Holland, Germany, Venice, Turkey, Poland, Venice, Rome

J.D. Barrow (2007), New Theories of Everything

1773 – Boscovich leaves the Observatory

B. Oriani, F. Reggio, A. de Cesaris

F. Carlini

G.V. Schiaparelli

G. Celoria

Edizione Nazionale delle Opere e della Corrispondenza di R.G. Boscovich

National Edition of the Works and Correspondence of R.G. Boscovich

http://www.edizionenazionaleboscovich.it/

1763 : G. Parini, Il Mattino (Il Giorno) [The Morning (The Day)]

1764 : C. Beccaria, Dei delitti e delle pene [On Crimes and Punishement]

1765 : G. Parini, Il Mezzogiorno (Il Giorno) [The Midday (The Day)]

1763 : P. Verri, Meditazioni sulla felicità [Reflections on happiness]

1762 : beginning of the astronomical research in Brera

1764 : Project of Brera Observatory

1765 : building of the Observatory

1764 -1766 : Il Caffè (P. Verri et al.) [magazine “The Coffee House”]

1763 : Boscovich appointed at Pavia University (mathematics)

Schedule/planning

2010 – G.V. Schiaparelli, 100th anniv. (Schiaparelli and his legacy, G. Trinchieri & A. Manara eds., Mem. SAIt 82, 2011)

2011 – R.G. Boscovich, 300th anniv. (Ruggiero Boscovich-uomo di scienza e di cultura, 18 may 2011)

2012 – Beginning of the professional astronomical research in Milan (250th anniv.); 50th anniv. of the first cosmic X-ray observation (international meeting; exhibitions)

2013 – Beginning of the meteorological observations in Brera, 250th anniv.

(international meeting on climate; collab. with UniMi)

2014 – The Brera Observatory (project), 250th anniv.

(meeting in collaboration with the Biblioteca Ambrosiana)

2015 – The foundation of the Brera Observatory, 250th anniv.

(EXPO 2015; Astronomy and climate)

Astronomy and Climate for the past 3 Myr

•Milankovitch astronomical cycles

Hypotheses on the mass extinctions in the past 3 Gyr

Flood basalt eventsMassive release of methane (clathtrates)Massive emission of hydrogen sulfide from seasSea-level fallsSignificant global coolingSignificant global warmingAnoxic events in the seasOceanic overturn (thermo-haline circulation)Impacts of celestial bodiesInterstellar cloudsOscillations on the galactic planeNearby Supernova or Gamma Ray BurstCompanion star (Nemesis)etc……

The understanding of the history of the Earth, of the evolution of the life on Earth, of the mankind, of the human thought and of civilization cannot leave out the effects of astronomical/cosmic phenomena, since they triggered, are triggering and will trigger the most important changes in such an history.