Trattato Sfera Introduzione Navigazione Piloti by Pagnini Giovanni (1 results)

Hardcover. Condition: Good. 4to (280 x 205 mm), contemporary 'carta rustica' boards, with manuscript title to spine, manuscript title "Sfera 1750" to upper board; a very good copy with deckled edges, untrimmed. pp. XII, 240 with 27 folding engraved plates (the last signed by Giovanni Filosi). First edition of this rare treatise on astronomy and navigation. The plates depict, among other things, celestial spheres, the solar system according to the leading astronomers, wind roses, and compasses. "Giovanni Pagnini was born in Lucca, Italy but considered himself as a naturalized Maltese. He taught navigation at the Order's nautical school established in Malta in the mid-18th Century. Pagnini describes himself as professor of Hydrography in Malta at the service of the Order of St John. His work is divided into two parts: one on astronomy for use in navigation and the other on the practice of piloting and navigation. This book was probably compiled from the notes Pagnini used for teaching navigation. In this book Pagnini describes four models of the universe: Ptolemy's geocentric model; Copernicus? heliocentric model; Tycho Brahe's model with the stationary Earth at the centre, the Moon and the Sun orbiting the Earth, while the planets orbit the Sun; and what he calls a Semi-Copernican model which is similar to the Tychonian model but with the Earth rotating on its axis every 24 hours. He then explains why he prefers the Semi-Copernican model. Pagnini then discusses briefly the orbit of the Sun, the Moon, the planets and their moons, the constellations, and stars down to magnitude 6 and nebulous stars. Pagnini then explains the use of the compass and its correction to find true North, clocks and other instruments needed to determine the latitude and longitude of places during navigation. The contents show the good standard of the astronomy taught to students of navigation in mid-18th Century Malta". Houzeau-Lancaster 10740; Riccardi I/2, col. 236: 'uno dei migliori trattati di nautica matematica pubblicati nel secolo passato'; Scott Collection 262.