Italian Astronomer. Born in Savigliano, in 1859-1860 Giovanni Virginio Schiaparelli worked in Pulkovo Observatory and then worked for over forty years at Brera Observatory. His telescopic observations on the surface of Mars, allowed him to discover, in 1877, a pattern of dense straight lines which he called "canali" (channels). "Canali" was mistranslated into English as canals; then, scientists thought that those artificial structures were made by living intelligent creatures, what stimulated the research to find life on the surface of the red planet. However, further rigorous studies concluded that the channels were just optical illusions, what was definitely corroborated by the high resolution pictures taken by the spacecraft Mariner 4. Schiaparelli also studied comets and the way they caused the so-called meteor showers, as well as the double stars. He described "seas" and "continents" in Mars. Owing to his vast studies, he was awarded the Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society (1872) and the Bruce Medal (1902), and his named is linked to asteroid 4062 Schiaparelli; the crater Schiaparelli (on the Moon); and the crater Schiaparelli (on Mars). He died in Milan. His nice Elsa Schiaparelli was world famous as a designer of haute couture, being considered one of the greatest fashion designer during the Belle Époque.
Italian Astronomer. Born in Savigliano, in 1859-1860 Giovanni Virginio Schiaparelli worked in Pulkovo Observatory and then worked for over forty years at Brera Observatory. His telescopic observations on the surface of Mars, allowed him to discover, in 1877, a pattern of dense straight lines which he called "canali" (channels). "Canali" was mistranslated into English as canals; then, scientists thought that those artificial structures were made by living intelligent creatures, what stimulated the research to find life on the surface of the red planet. However, further rigorous studies concluded that the channels were just optical illusions, what was definitely corroborated by the high resolution pictures taken by the spacecraft Mariner 4. Schiaparelli also studied comets and the way they caused the so-called meteor showers, as well as the double stars. He described "seas" and "continents" in Mars. Owing to his vast studies, he was awarded the Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society (1872) and the Bruce Medal (1902), and his named is linked to asteroid 4062 Schiaparelli; the crater Schiaparelli (on the Moon); and the crater Schiaparelli (on Mars). He died in Milan. His nice Elsa Schiaparelli was world famous as a designer of haute couture, being considered one of the greatest fashion designer during the Belle Époque.
Bio by: Ruggero
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