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Library in Brera

Galileo Galilei, Sidereus Nuncius 1610

A modern library with more than 1000 modern astronomical and correlated fields books and an ancient library with more than 30000 books from XV century.
In addition to Newton and Copernico’s works you can find a copy of the first edition of Galileo’s Sidereus Nuncius and a very rarity like the Giovanni Regiomontano’s Epitome of Tolomeo’s Almagesto. This is a "incunabulum" year 1496 belonged to Michael Maestlin, who was Keplero’s tutor.
"Incunaboli", "cinquecentine" (XVI printed books) and "seicentine" (XVII printed books) are not present in our library on-line catalogue.

arrow Go to the catalogue Brera monographies.

Library Manager in Brera: Agnese Mandrino

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Library in Merate

Representative image for Library in Merate

In Merate we have a modern library with more than 6000 astronomical and correlated fields books principally of XX and XXI century.

arrow Go to the catalogue Merate monographies



Library Manager in Merate: Giannantonio Guerrero

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Historical archive

The image represent a map of planet Mars traced by Schiaparelli. The map is in the first scientific memory that was published after 1877 opposition. The maps was the most exhaustive ever published. Credits: OAB historical archive.

The historical archive primarily preserves scientific material: notebooks and observation diaries, calculation documents, drawings, notes, invitations, passes, travel reports and a very rich correspondence of over thirty thousand letters from astronomers such as Pierre Simon Laplace, William Herschel , Angelo Secchi, but also Cesare Beccaria and Napoleon I Bonaparte.
In the Giovanni Virginio Schiaparelli Collection, among other things, the diaries with the famous observations of Mars are kept.
The archive documents also testify the role of the Observatory within the society civil, with documents relating to the creation of the sundial in the Milan Cathedral, the drafting of the 1786 Map of Lombardy, the drafting of calendars and ephemeris and with the long series of meteorological data.

arrow 03/28/2024 - the new archive inventory page is online at the link Archive inventory

Historical Archive Manager: Agnese Mandrino