Giovanni Battista Riccioli was an Italian astronomer and a Catholic priest in the Jesuit order. He is known, among other things, for his experiments with pendulums and with falling bodies, for his discussion of 126 arguments concerning the motion of the Earth, and for introducing the current scheme of lunar nomenclature. He is also widely known for discovering the first double star. He argued that the rotation of the Earth should reveal itself because on a rotating Earth, the ground moves at different speeds at different times.
Giovanni Battista Riccioli, Italian priest and astronomer (died 1671)
Giovanni Battista Riccioli, Italian priest and astronomer (died 1671)
On April 17, in the year 1598, Giovanni Battista Riccioli, Italian priest and astronomer (died 1671). This event is recorded as a Notable Births event in the history of April 17, one of 401 recorded events on this date across all of history.
1 notable person is associated with this event, including Giovanni Battista Riccioli. Learn more below.
Key Facts
- This event took place on April 17, 1598 (AD era).
- It is categorised as a Notable Births event in recorded history.
- Referenced in 1 Wikipedia article.
- 1 notable person is recorded as involved in or associated with this event.
- Wikipedia source last updated on 2 March 2026.
On This Date in History 401
This article draws on content from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
People Involved
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