Caterina Scarpellini

Italian astronomer and meteorologist, Caterina Scarpellini

Caterina Scarpellini was born in October 1808 in Foligno, Italy into a scientific family. Scarpellini's uncle was a notable astronomer and was director of the Campidoglio Observatory, one of the earliest observatories established by the papacy. Growing up on the Capitoline Hill next to this observatory and with an astronomer for an uncle, her passion for science and making scientific observations was undoubtedly bolstered. In 1847, she became editor of Correspondenza Scientifica in Roma, a bulletin focused on publishing material over a broad range of subjects.

Beginning in the late 1850's, Scarpellini became director of the Capitoline Hill meteorological station. At this time, studies in weather were incredibly popular, and Italy had a prominent part in this advancing field. Scarpellini made six meteorological observations at the Capitoline station each day and regularly published her work in Correspondenza Scientifica in Roma and in the news bulletin of the Société Météorologique de France.

Scarpellini's astronomical work focused on observations of comets, and her efforts led to her discovery of a new comet in 1854. She also compiled the first Italian meteor catalog and wrote about such varied topics as sunspot periodicity, Saturn's rings, her theories of planet formation, and her ideas on celestial mechanics. Between 1853 and 1873, Scarpellini published more than fifty reports in Italian, French, and Belgian journals on a variety of topics including her astronomical observations, meteorological measurements, and geological, electrical, and magnetic phenomena.