Cassini meridian line
E522102
The Cassini meridian line is a monumental 17th-century astronomical sundial and meridian marker in Bologna used to measure the Sun’s position and refine the length of the year.
Statements (44)
| Predicate | Object |
|---|---|
| instanceOf |
astronomical instrument
ⓘ
meridian line ⓘ scientific monument ⓘ sundial ⓘ |
| astronomerInCharge | Giovanni Domenico Cassini NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| constructionEnd | 1657 ⓘ |
| constructionStart | 1655 ⓘ |
| coordinateReference | local meridian of Bologna ⓘ |
| coordinateSystem | meridian ⓘ |
| country | Italy ⓘ |
| designer | Giovanni Domenico Cassini NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| epochOfUse |
17th century
ⓘ
18th century ⓘ |
| feature |
pinhole gnomon
ⓘ
small aperture in the church wall ⓘ |
| heritageStatus |
cultural heritage of Italy
ⓘ
tourist attraction in Bologna ⓘ |
| historicalPeriod | Baroque period NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| inception | 1650s ⓘ |
| length | approximately 66.8 meters ⓘ |
| locatedIn | Bologna NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| locatedInBuilding | Basilica of San Petronio NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| material |
brass inlay
ⓘ
marble pavement ⓘ |
| methodOfOperation |
Sun’s image crosses the line at local solar noon
ⓘ
projects an image of the Sun onto the floor ⓘ |
| namedAfter | Giovanni Domenico Cassini NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| observationType |
measurement of equinoxes
ⓘ
measurement of solstices ⓘ solar transit observations ⓘ |
| partOf | historical scientific instruments of Bologna ⓘ |
| purpose |
astronomical observation
ⓘ
determine solar noon ⓘ measure the Sun’s position ⓘ refine the length of the tropical year ⓘ |
| relatedTo |
Gregorian calendar reform
NERFINISHED
ⓘ
history of astronomy in Italy ⓘ |
| significance |
contributed to precision measurement of the solar year
ⓘ
important example of church-based observatory ⓘ one of the largest meridian lines in the world ⓘ used to verify and improve astronomical tables ⓘ |
| usedFor |
calendar refinement
ⓘ
measurement of solar declination ⓘ measurement of the ecliptic longitude of the Sun ⓘ |
Referenced by (1)
Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.