.
On this day in 1598 – April 17th – Italian astronomer Giovanni Battista Riccioli was born in Ferrera.

Riccioli's best known for his Almagestum Novum published in 1651. It included his Moon map and over 1500 folio pages densely packed with text, tables and illustrations. The work became a standard technical reference book for astronomers all over Europe and included the names of prominent lunar features still in use today.

Mona Evans
For news, activities, pictures and more, sign up to the Astronomy Newsletter!
http://www.bellaonline.com/newsletter/astronomy