Italian Contributions to Planetary Astronomy: From the Discovery of Ceres to Pluto's Orbit.

This article explores the contributions of Italian astronomers to planetary astronomy, highlighting the discoveries and observations made by figures such as Galileo Galilei, Giovanni Domenico Cassini, Francesco Bianchini, Giuseppe Piazzi, Francesco de Vico, Angelo Secchi, and Giovanni Schiaparelli. It discusses Galileo's telescopes, Schiaparelli's work on Mars, Piazzi's discovery of Ceres, and Secchi's spectroscopic observations. The article also addresses the neglect of Italian contributions in the field and aims to rectify this by providing informative chapters on various Italian astronomers. However, there are concerns about the accuracy and tone of certain chapters. The text specifically focuses on Giuseppe Piazzi and his discovery of Ceres, discussing the challenges he faced and the controversy surrounding his decision to keep the discovery a secret. It also touches on the role of Catholic priests in astronomy and the challenges faced by Italian astronomers compared to those in other countries. Overall, the article provides an interesting and informative perspective on the history of astronomy. [Extracted from the article]