Papers by Ileana Chinnici
Decoding the Stars: A Biography of Angelo Secchi, Jesuit and Scientist, 2019
Decoding the Stars: A Biography of Angelo Secchi, Jesuit and Scientist, 2019
The Biographical Encyclopedia of Astronomers, 2007
Journal of Astronomical History and Heritage
Historical & Cultural Astronomy, 2017
The Merz Company is well known as one of the most successful of the 19th century instrument-maker... more The Merz Company is well known as one of the most successful of the 19th century instrument-makers, but their interaction with scientists who commissioned their instruments is still largely unexplored.
Nuncius, 2015
A manuscript by Georg and Sigmund Merz dated 1862 and containing instructions for assembling the ... more A manuscript by Georg and Sigmund Merz dated 1862 and containing instructions for assembling the equatorial telescope acquired by the Palermo Observatory is conserved in the archives of the Museo Astronomico e Copernicano in Rome. It is a rare document that reveals “tricks of the trade” and technical knowledge not usually included in textbooks or treatises. It was sent to the Palermo Observatory as an aid to the installation of the telescope, which made a signal contribution to the development of solar physics in Italy in the 19th century. Based on the study of unpublished sources (consisting of texts and drawings), the history of the instrument has been retraced. This paper presents a detailed description of the Merz manuscript (including a complete transcript) and some technical drawings recently discovered in the archives of the Palermo Observatory.
Pisa University Press eBooks, 2022
Pisa University Press eBooks, 2022
Società italiana degli storici della fisica e dell'astronomia : atti del XL Convegno annuale = proceedings of the 40th Annual Conference
Cento anni di astronomia in Italia 1860-1960 - Convegno organizzato d'intesa con l'INAF e il Comitato Nazionale per il IV centenario della fondazione dell'Accademia dei Lincei, 2005
In the past few years, INAF - Astronomical Observatory "G. S. Vaiana" of Palermo has pa... more In the past few years, INAF - Astronomical Observatory "G. S. Vaiana" of Palermo has paid attention to the development of preventive conservation projects for archival documents, bibliographic materials and scientific instruments deriving from its two centuries of research activity. In 2017, following a previous collaboration with the University of Palermo, some interventions focused on the assessment and re-housing of part of the historical archive took place. A new conservation/restoration project on the oldest core of the historical library has started in 2019 and is still ongoing. In 2019 a pilot project was also proposed for the scientific collections on display at the museum. A survey of the assets conditions is ongoing and a series of environmental monitoring campaigns has been started to evaluate the microclimate effects on the collections. A risk management approach has been adopted to assess collections care priorities and to plan timely solutions and sustainable...
Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union, 2019
The practice of preventive conservation of cultural heritage consists of “all measures and action... more The practice of preventive conservation of cultural heritage consists of “all measures and actions aimed at avoiding and minimizing future deterioration or loss” of it (ICOM-CC, 2008). Unlike conservation treatments, preventive conservation deals with entire collections and their surrounding environment. It is known that exposing historical objects to the environment has a significant impact on their degradation process. Studying and managing risk factors is an indispensable practice within the management policies of any cultural institution. The National Institute for Astrophysics (INAF) holds some valuable historical collections, heritage derived from the Italian contribution to astronomy over the centuries. The management and protection of these collections faces many challenges. A preventive conservation plan, aimed at assessing and managing risks that threaten the collections, may offer many long-term benefits, allowing us to use available resources in the best possible way. In...
Gli strumenti di Acustica presentati nel Catalogo fanno parte della Collezione Storica degli Stru... more Gli strumenti di Acustica presentati nel Catalogo fanno parte della Collezione Storica degli Strumenti di Fisica esposta presso il Dipartimento di Fisica e Chimica dell'Universit\ue0 degli Studi di Palermo, nell'edificio storico di via Archirafi 36. La maggior parte di questi strumenti sono stati realizzati nella seconda met\ue0 del XIX secolo a Parigi dal costruttore Rudolph Koenig e acquistati dal fisico Pietro Blaserna durante la sua permanenza a Palermo quale titolare della cattedra di Fisica Sperimentale. Questo Catalogo vuole essere il primo di una serie di pubblicazioni riguardanti la Collezione Storica degli Strumenti di Fisica per la valorizzazione del patrimonio culturale che essa oggi custodisce
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Papers by Ileana Chinnici