Vincentio Reinieri
Encyclopedia
Vincentio Reinieri (Renieri, Reiner) (March 30, 1606 – November 5, 1647) was an Italian
mathematician
and astronomer
. He was a friend and disciple of Galileo Galilei
.
Born at Genoa
, he was a member of the Olivetan order. His order sent him to Rome
in 1623. He met Galileo at Siena
in 1633. Galileo had Reinieri update and attempt to improve his astronomical tables of the motions of Jupiter's moons, revising these tables for prediction of the positions of these satellites.
Reinieri's work led him to Arcetri
, where he befriended Vincenzo Viviani
. Reinieri enjoyed the same spirit of inquiry and love of debate as his mentor. On February 5, 1641, Reinieri wrote Galileo from Pisa
: "Not infrequently I am in some battle with the Peripatetic
gentlemen, particularly when I note that those fattest with ignorance least appreciate your worth, and I have just given the head of one of those a good scrubbing." (Drake, p. 413-4)
Reinieri became professor of mathematics at the University of Pisa
on the death of Dino Peri. He also taught Greek there. His astronomical work consisted of adding new observations of Jupiter's moons to Galileo's. To some degree, Reinieri improved the Galilean tables on the motions of these satellites. Before his death, Galileo decided to place all of the papers containing his observations and calculations in the hands of Reinieri. Reinieri was to finish and revise them.
Reinieri's observations of Jupiter's moons remained unpublished at the time of his premature death at Pisa in 1647. He was succeeded to the chair of mathematics by Famiano Michelini (c. 1600-1666).
On Reinieri's death, papers concerning longitude
entrusted to him by Galileo are said to have been stolen by a man named Giuseppe Agostini (Fahie, p. 374). However, scholars such as Antonio Favaro doubt whether this theft
actually occurred (see Antonio Favaro, Documenti inediti per la Storia dei MSS. Galileiani, Rome, 1886, pp. 8-14).
The crater Reiner
on the Moon
is named after him.
Latin
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
mathematician
Mathematician
A mathematician is a person whose primary area of study is the field of mathematics. Mathematicians are concerned with quantity, structure, space, and change....
and astronomer
Astronomer
An astronomer is a scientist who studies celestial bodies such as planets, stars and galaxies.Historically, astronomy was more concerned with the classification and description of phenomena in the sky, while astrophysics attempted to explain these phenomena and the differences between them using...
. He was a friend and disciple of Galileo Galilei
Galileo Galilei
Galileo Galilei , was an Italian physicist, mathematician, astronomer, and philosopher who played a major role in the Scientific Revolution. His achievements include improvements to the telescope and consequent astronomical observations and support for Copernicanism...
.
Born at Genoa
Genoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
, he was a member of the Olivetan order. His order sent him to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
in 1623. He met Galileo at Siena
Siena
Siena is a city in Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the province of Siena.The historic centre of Siena has been declared by UNESCO a World Heritage Site. It is one of the nation's most visited tourist attractions, with over 163,000 international arrivals in 2008...
in 1633. Galileo had Reinieri update and attempt to improve his astronomical tables of the motions of Jupiter's moons, revising these tables for prediction of the positions of these satellites.
Reinieri's work led him to Arcetri
Arcetri
Arcetri is a region of Florence, Italy, in the hills to the south of the city centre.-Landmarks:A number of historic buildings are situated there, including the house of the famous scientist Galileo Galilei ,...
, where he befriended Vincenzo Viviani
Vincenzo Viviani
Vincenzo Viviani was an Italian mathematician and scientist. He was a pupil of Torricelli and a disciple of Galileo.-Biography:...
. Reinieri enjoyed the same spirit of inquiry and love of debate as his mentor. On February 5, 1641, Reinieri wrote Galileo from Pisa
Pisa
Pisa is a city in Tuscany, Central Italy, on the right bank of the mouth of the River Arno on the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Pisa...
: "Not infrequently I am in some battle with the Peripatetic
Nomad
Nomadic people , commonly known as itinerants in modern-day contexts, are communities of people who move from one place to another, rather than settling permanently in one location. There are an estimated 30-40 million nomads in the world. Many cultures have traditionally been nomadic, but...
gentlemen, particularly when I note that those fattest with ignorance least appreciate your worth, and I have just given the head of one of those a good scrubbing." (Drake, p. 413-4)
Reinieri became professor of mathematics at the University of Pisa
University of Pisa
The University of Pisa , located in Pisa, Tuscany, is one of the oldest universities in Italy. It was formally founded on September 3, 1343 by an edict of Pope Clement VI, although there had been lectures on law in Pisa since the 11th century...
on the death of Dino Peri. He also taught Greek there. His astronomical work consisted of adding new observations of Jupiter's moons to Galileo's. To some degree, Reinieri improved the Galilean tables on the motions of these satellites. Before his death, Galileo decided to place all of the papers containing his observations and calculations in the hands of Reinieri. Reinieri was to finish and revise them.
Reinieri's observations of Jupiter's moons remained unpublished at the time of his premature death at Pisa in 1647. He was succeeded to the chair of mathematics by Famiano Michelini (c. 1600-1666).
On Reinieri's death, papers concerning longitude
Longitude
Longitude is a geographic coordinate that specifies the east-west position of a point on the Earth's surface. It is an angular measurement, usually expressed in degrees, minutes and seconds, and denoted by the Greek letter lambda ....
entrusted to him by Galileo are said to have been stolen by a man named Giuseppe Agostini (Fahie, p. 374). However, scholars such as Antonio Favaro doubt whether this theft
Theft
In common usage, theft is the illegal taking of another person's property without that person's permission or consent. The word is also used as an informal shorthand term for some crimes against property, such as burglary, embezzlement, larceny, looting, robbery, shoplifting and fraud...
actually occurred (see Antonio Favaro, Documenti inediti per la Storia dei MSS. Galileiani, Rome, 1886, pp. 8-14).
The crater Reiner
Reiner (crater)
Reiner is a lunar impact crater on the Oceanus Procellarum, in the western part of the Moon. It has a nearly circular rim, but appears oval in shape due to foreshortening. The rim edge is well-defined and has not been eroded by impacts. In the mid-point of the irregular crater floor is a central peak...
on the Moon
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...
is named after him.
LatinLatinLatin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
works
- Expugnata Hierusalem, poema, Publisher: Maceratae, Apud Petrum Salvionum (1628) http://worldcatlibraries.org/oclc/69647370&referer=brief_results
- Tabulae mediceae secundorum mobilium universales quibus per unicum prosthaphaereseon orbis canonem planetarum calculus exhibetur. Non solum tychonicè iuxta Rudolphinas Danicas & Lansbergianas, sed etiam iuxta Prutenicas Alphonsinas & Ptolemaicas, Publisher: Florentiae, typis nouis Amatoris Massae & Laurentij de Landis (1639) http://worldcatlibraries.org/oclc/6565804&referer=brief_results
- Tabulæ motuum cælestium universales : serenissimi magni ducis etruriæ Ferdinandi II. auspicijs primo editæ, & Mediceæ nuncupati, nunc vero auctæ, recognitæ, atque... Bernardini Fernandez de Velasco... iussu, ac sumptibus recusæ...Publisher: Florentiæ : typis Amatoris Massæ Foroliuien., 1647 http://worldcatlibraries.org/oclc/84712529&referer=brief_results
Sources
- Drake, Stillman, Galileo at Work: His Scientific Biography (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1978), 464. ISBN 0-226-16226-5
- Fahie, J.J., Galileo: His Life and Work (London: John Murray, 1903), 374-5. - Google Books
Further reading
- A Selection from Italian Prose Writers: with a double translation: for the use of students of the Italian language on the Hamiltonian system, London, Hunt and Clark, 1828 - Google Books. Letters of Galileo to Renieri: pp. 142-147 (no images for remainder of letter), and pp. 242-253 (no images pp, 246-250).