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Article << Previous     |     Next >>   Contents Vol 26(3)

The Meteorite Collection in the Natural Science Museum of Turin1

E. Costa A C, L. M. Gallo B

A Dipartimento di Scienze Mineralogiche e Petrografiche, Universitá degli Studi di Torino – Via Valperga Caluso 35, I–10136 Torino, Italy
B Museo Regionale di Scienze Naturali, Sezione di Mineralogia, Petrografia e Geologia – Via G. Giolitti 36, I–10123 Torino, Italy
C Corresponding author. Email: emanuele.costa@unito.it
 
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Abstract

The Natural Science Museum of Turin is the owner of a small but nice collection of meteorites, partly obtained by means of direct acquisition during the last 30 years, and partly inherited from the rather old collection of the University of Turin. This collection was partially forgotten for the last 50 years, and after 1936 the collection became almost invisible. In the last 30 years the meteorite samples were tightly packaged and retained in the basement of the museum building. Currently a new listing of the meteorite collection is in progress and almost finished, in which every sample is described, measured and weighed. For each sample the authors acquired high resolution images and examined historical documentations. Images were acquired with a desktop scanner, which was found to be an ideal tool for this purpose. A classification based on most famous meteorite catalogues is coupled to each description. About eighty samples (and probably a new meteorite, not described until now) will be depicted in the new catalogue, which hopefully will be published during 2009. The authors want to inform the international community that Turin the Museum holds an important collection containing almost all of the Piedmont meteorites (e.g. MOTTA DI CONTI, CERESETO, ALESSANDRIA), some Italian meteorites of considerable historical importance (TRONZANO, ALFIANELLO, ASSISI, SIENA), together with a selection of American and Eastern European samples.

Keywords: meteors, meteoroids — history and philosophy of astronomy



1 Piedmont, Italy.

2 Museo di Storia Naturale della Regia Università degli Studi di Torino.

3 Reale Accademia delle Scienze di Torino.

4 Carlo Emanuele III of Savoy, son of Vittorio Amedeo II, was the 2nd King of Sardinia and reigned between 1730 and 1773, one of the longest kingdom in the Savoy dynasty.

5 The ‘Società Privata Torinese’ (the translation could be ‘Turin Private Association’) became in 1783 the Royal Academy of Science in Turin, after royal will and ruling. Amongst the founders one can find eminent mathematicians like Luigi Lagrange, and physicists like Giovanni Cigna.

6 Abbot Stefano Borson, born in St. Pierre d’Albigny (Savoie, 1758) graduated in Theosophy at the Turin University in 1781, and after long years of trips around Italy oriented his interest on natural sciences. In 1810 he was designated as Professor of Mineralogy in Turin, maintaining his role until his death, during 1832.

7 Giorgio Spezia was born in Verbania province (Piedmont) in 1842, and after a break in his studies for being a Garibaldi soldier, graduated at Polytechnic of Turin in 1867. He became director of the Museo di Mineralogia of the University in 1878, and among others he was President of the ‘Club Alpino Italiano’. He also was the first scientist obtaining, at the beginning of 1900, the laboratory growth of synthetic quartz, which became of primary importance after WWII for the developing of electronics.

8 We should remember that during a long time in the history of the Savoy kingdom, in Piedmont the official language was French.

9 Angelo Sismonda (born in Corneliano d’Alba in 1807) was student of Borson in Turin and completed his studies in Paris. Called to the position of First Professor in Mineralogy (and Director of the Museum) at the Turin University in 1832, he continued his role for over forty years until his death in 1878. He was highly estimated by King Carlo Alberto di Savoia, and he was preceptor of the King’s heirs.

10 The Hospital of St. John the Baptist, a baroque brickwork building founded in 1680 under the supervision of Amedeo di Castellamonte.

11 Museo Regionale di Scienze Naturali di Torino is the correct Italian name.
   
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