Giuseppe Piazzi, Astronomer of the Two Sicilies

Marking the bicentenary of the astronomer’s death (1826–2026), the exhibition is curated by Mauro Gargano in collaboration with the Hubert Bowinkel art gallery.

There is a thread connecting Palermo and Naples, two different cities illuminated by the same sky.

That thread is Giuseppe Piazzi, the astronomer who discovered Ceres and helped transform European astronomy, placing the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies at the forefront of international scientific research between the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.

Giuseppe Piazzi, Astronomer of the Two Sicilies is a journey through his life and work. Rare books, astronomical charts, historical views and archival documents trace a story spanning science, institutions and landscapes, revealing the many facets of a man who was at once a scholar, teacher, builder of observatories and a key figure in the cultural modernisation of his time.

The story begins with volumes of his Star Catalogue and Lessons in Astronomy, reflecting his methodical and innovative approach to scientific research.

It then explores his years in Palermo, where Piazzi founded the astronomical observatory and launched an observation programme destined to leave a lasting mark on the history of modern astronomy. Charts and texts documenting the discovery of Ceres convey both the excitement and the scientific significance of an event that forever changed our understanding of the Solar System.

From Palermo, the focus shifts to Naples, where, as Piazzi himself wrote, “there is no sky more beautiful than that of Naples”. Archival documents and the Account of the Royal Observatory illustrate the astronomer’s commitment to completing the construction of the Capodimonte Observatory, an architectural and institutional undertaking that brought together scientific ambition and political vision.

The exhibition is completed by historical maps and views of Palermo and Naples, evoking the cultural and urban settings in which Piazzi lived and worked: two capitals united by a constant dialogue between sky and earth.

The exhibition pays tribute to a man who left a profound mark on the history of knowledge, bringing two capitals together beneath a single sky and leaving a legacy that remains alive today.