Michael Mendillo

Boston University

Abstract

The Artistic Portrayal of the Medicean Moons in Early Astronomical Charts, Books and Paintings.

When Galileo published Siderius Nuncius in 1610, he introduced what now we would call the visualization aspects of astronomy.  While his portrayals of the Moon utilized his considerable talents in perspective and chiaroscuro drawing, the satellites of Jupiter were mere points of light depicted by star symbols embedded within his printed text. In subsequent publications by supporters and rivals, Galileo’s Medicean Stars were shown using both star symbols and disks. Within fifty years, the fabulous Harmonia Macrocosmica (1660) of Andreas Cellarius illustrated different cosmologies that included, when logically appropriate, Jupiter with companions of different sizes orbiting at different distances.  Illustrations and paintings in later centuries used simple disks to indicate the jovian satellites, and in one rare case images of the Medici brothers. That these objects that could not be seen visually led to strong controversies, a famous trial, a potential navigation scheme, and validation of Newtonian physics beyond Earth.  

Biographical Details

Michael Mendillo is Professor of Astronomy at Boston University.  He heads a research group in the Centre for Space Physics that studies the upper atmospheres of the Earth, moons, comets and planets.  Optical observations are made using in-house designed and built wide-field, low-light-level imaging systems to study sub-visual aurora and airglow at Earth and the escaping sodium exospheres of the Moon, Mercury, Io and comets.  Planetary ionospheres are observed using GPS methods and radars at Earth and satellite-based radio occultation experiments at Mars, Saturn and Venus.  Professor Mendillo has a large collection of antiquarian astronomical charts and maps that are the basis of his studies in the history of astronomy.  The Mendillo Collection forms an exhibition that travels under the title Celestial Images, managed by the Boston University Art Gallery.Professor Mendillo has served in various administrative roles at Boston University and on advisory committees at NASA, NSF, Department of Defense laboratories and the U.S. National Academy of Sciences.