"OU acquires rare Roman astronomy manuscript"
April 5th, 2013
The Norman Transcript
A rare manuscript written by a leading astronomer in Rome at the height of Galileo’s astronomical discoveries recently was acquired by the University of Oklahoma’s History of Science Collections.
The newly acquired manuscript, “Tractatus de sphaera,” by Oratio Grassi records Grassi’s lectures in mathematics and astronomy. The Grassi manuscript is one of three works by Grassi to enhance OU’s Galileo collection this year. In two just-acquired printed books, Grassi discussed three comets that appeared in the sky in 1618.
“The Grassi manuscript is an important addition to the OU History of Science Collection, which is already recognized as among the small number of great collections in science in the world,” said OU President David L. Boren.
The Grassi manuscript is one of only a few astronomical manuscripts from the leading Jesuit university preceding the publication and subsequent condemnation of Galileo’s Dialogo (1632). OU holds Galileo’s own copy of the Dialogo, containing his handwritten comments in the margins.
“By any measure, this Grassi manuscript is a significant acquisition for the University of Oklahoma and an important addition to the prestigious Galileo works held by our History of Science Collections,” said Rick Luce, dean of University Libraries. “The penmanship is beautiful,” said Luce, noting that some of the pages have detailed illustrations, all hand-drawn.
The Grassi manuscript discusses Gaileo’s discoveries, including imperfections on the surface of the Sun and Moon and the satellites of Jupiter. These discoveries were first published by Galileo in Sidereus nuncius, printed in Venice in 1610. The OU copy of Sidereus nuncius displays Galileo’s signature on the title page.
“The OU Galileo collection is remarkable,” Luce said. “While many major libraries hold one or two first editions of Galileo, OU holds the entire set of 12 first editions. Neither the Library of Congress nor the British Library can say the same. Moreover, four of OU’s first editions, including the Sidereus nuncius and the Dialogo, contain Galileo’s handwriting. The Grassi manuscript and the two other Grassi books are unique additions to an already world-class Galileo collection.”
The acquisition was made possible with a $500,000 gift from the OU Athletics Department to establish an endowment to support exhibits and acquire rare works for the History of Science Collections.
“We are grateful to the Athletics Department for funding the endowment that made it possible for this manuscript to find its way to OU for its permanent home,” Luce said.
"New acquisition of rare astronomical manuscript is highlight of Bizzell exhibition"
by
Atiba Williams
April 4th, 2013
The Oklahoma Daily
OU’s History of Science Collections has a new acquisition: a rare manuscript by a famous astronomer from Galileo’s time.
The manuscript, “Tractatus de Sphaera” by Oratio Grassi, records Grassi’s lectures in mathematics and astronomy, according to a press release.
It also discusses Galileo’s astronomical discoveries, including imperfections on the surface of the sun and moon and the satellites of Jupiter, according to the press release.
“It’s all handwritten - isn’t it beautiful?” said J. Harvey, staff assistant of OU’s History of Science Collections.
It was acquired with a gift of $500,000 from OU’s Athletics Department, according to the press release.
“I think anybody would support the Sooners, even in Texas, if they understood how much the OU Athletics department supported academics at OU,” said Kerry Magruder, curator of OU’s History of Science Collections.
The manuscript is displayed among other important documents published around the same time period.
Overshadowed by a Joe Taylor sculpture that incorporates science illustrations, the exhibition marks the beginning of a rift between mathematics and physics, Magruder said.
Galileo and other mathematicians lived in a time when mathematicians were beginning to assert that, guided by the power of numbers, they were able to do better physics than physicists, even though physicists were paid three times as much as mathematicians, Magruder said.
OU already owns 12 first-edition Galileo volumes and two Grassi books, MaGruder said.
Press release...
A rare manuscript written by a leading astronomer in Rome at the height of Galileo’s astronomical discoveries recently was acquired by the University of Oklahoma’s History of Science Collections.
The newly acquired manuscript, Tractatus de sphaera, by Oratio Grassi records Grassi’s lectures in mathematics and astronomy. The Grassi manuscript is one of three works by Grassi to enhance OU’s Galileo collection this year. In two just-acquired printed books, Grassi discussed three comets that appeared in the sky in 1618.
“The Grassi manuscript is an important addition to the OU History of Science Collection, which is already recognized as among the small number of great collections in science in the world,” said OU President David L. Boren.
The Grassi manuscript is one of only a few astronomical manuscripts from the leading Jesuit university preceding the publication and subsequent condemnation of Galileo’s Dialogo (1632). OU holds Galileo’s own copy of the Dialogo, containing his handwritten comments in the margins.
“By any measure, this Grassi manuscript is a significant acquisition for the University of Oklahoma and an important addition to the prestigious Galileo works held by our History of Science Collections,” said Rick Luce, dean of University Libraries. “The penmanship is beautiful,” said Luce, noting that some of the pages have detailed illustrations, all hand-drawn.
The Grassi manuscript discusses Gaileo’s discoveries, including imperfections on the surface of the Sun and Moon and the satellites of Jupiter. These discoveries were first published by Galileo in Sidereus nuncius, printed in Venice in 1610. The OU copy of Sidereus nuncius displays Galileo’s signature on the title page.
“The OU Galileo collection is remarkable,” Luce said. “While many major libraries hold one or two first editions of Galileo, OU holds the entire set of 12 first editions. Neither the Library of Congress nor the British Library can say the same. Moreover, four of OU’s first editions, including the Sidereus nuncius and the Dialogo, contain Galileo’s handwriting. The Grassi manuscript and the two other Grassi books are unique additions to an already world-class Galileo collection.”
The acquisition was made possible with a $500,000 gift from the OU Athletics Department to establish an endowment to support exhibits and acquire rare works for the History of Science Collections.
“We are grateful to the Athletics Department for funding the endowment that made it possible for this manuscript to find its way to OU for its permanent home,” Luce said.
Key works from the OU Galileo collection, including the newly acquired Grassi manuscript, are now on display in the History of Science Collections on the fifth floor of Bizzell Memorial Library.
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