 |
 |
 |
| Vatican Observatory | The Palermo Observatory G.S. Vaiana | Steward Observatory |
On the night of 1 January 1801, Fr. Giuseppe Piazzi discovered the first asteroid, or minor planet, and promptly named it "Ceres," after the classical goddess of the Earth, and the "patron goddess" for Sicily. Fr. Piazzi made his discovery visually with the use of the Ramsden Circle at the Palermo Observatory. As it was shown subsequently that the average distance of Ceres from the Sun is 2.769 astronomical units (A.U.), Piazzi's discovery was hailed internationally as the definitive evidence for the "missing planet" placed at 2.8 A.U. in the Bode-Titus scheme for computing planetary distances within our Solar System.
 |
 |
| The Ramsden Circle used by Piazzi to make his discovery observation of MP 1 (Ceres) | A plaster bust of Giuseppe Piazzi; notice the image of the Ramsden Circle cast into the left shoulder of the bust. |
More than a year later (1802 March 28), Prof. Heinrich W. Olbers (of "Olbers' Paradox" fame) at the Bonn Observatory
discovered the second asteroid and named it "Pallas;" the average distance of Pallas from the Sun is 2.773 A.U.
A third asteroid, Juno, was discovered by K. Harding on 1 September 1804 (avg. dist. = 2.671 A.U.), while Prof. Olbers
made his second discovery on 1807 March 29, naming the fourth asteroid "Vesta": Vesta's average distance from the Sun
is 2.362 A.U. Therefore, it was postulated that these four objects were remnants of "the fifth planet" which had been
at the distance of 2.8 A.U. dictated by the Bode-Titus "rule." This idea is no longer in vogue.
These small objects
orbit the Sun just as do the planets so their preferred nomenclature today is "minor planet" (MP) and they are
individually catalogued in the order of their discovery, i.e., Ceres = MP 1, Pallas = MP 2, Juno = MP 3,
Vesta = MP 4, etc., etc. Today, there are many thousands of these objects known, some of them
falling into distinctive groupings within the global classification, such as Near Earth Orbiters (NEOs), and the
Trojans and Greeks, both of which groups share Jupiter's orbit. [The "Trojans" lead Jupiter's orbital motion,
forming a 60o equilateral triangle with Jupiter and the Sun; the group called the "Greeks" follow the
planet's orbital motion, but also at the apices of an equilateral triangle with Jupiter and the Sun].
Fr. Piazzi's
discovery has become scientific "big business" in the last decade of the 20th Century, as it is now
recognized that some of these minor planets have orbits that cross that of our own planet. Finding such "Earth-orbit
crossers," and determining their orbital parameters to a high degree of precision, is of obvious practical importance
to the survival of our planet and its inhabitants; one of the principal groups involved in this important work is
the "Skywatch Project," led by Prof. T.A. Gehrels at the University of Arizona.
It's altogether fitting and proper
that the latest conference in the INSAP Series should find a venue at the Palermo Observatory, thanks to the
invitation of its present Director, Prof. Salvatore Serio, not only to celebrate the 200th Anniversay
of Fr. Piazzi's discovery, but also to herald in the beginning of the 21st Century as part of our official
program of deliberations and events.
 |
 |
| Urania inspiring Giuseppe Piazzi | Giuseppe Piazzi, indicating his discovery |
Founded during the 7th Century BCE by the Phoenicians (who called it Ziz, meaning "flower"), Palermo was
conquered and occupied subsequently by the Romans (who changed its name to Panormus, from Greek words meaning
"large rock" or "port"), the Arabs in the 9th Century CE (who also renamed the city Balharm, the corruption of
which has become the city's modern name), the Normans under Count Roger in 1072, Frederick of Swabia in 1212, the
Angevins led by Charles of Anjou in 1266, the Spanish (after the War of the Vespers), and the Bourbons of Naples in
the 18th Century. During the Second World War, the city was captured by American troops led by General
George S. Patton, Jr., in their drive to Messina in 1943.
The main port of the island of Sicily, the city of
Palermo lies around the Gulf of Palermo off the north shore of the island. It is built at the edge of a wide and
fertile plain, called la Conca d'Oro ("the golden shell," or "horn of plenty"), upon which are found many palm
trees and citrus and olive groves. This ancient city is a "walking town": its narrow streets and few parking places
(although there are municipal parking lots away from the city center) make traveling by automobile a frustrating
experience. However, there is much of interest to see when going afoot.
The most elegant shops may be found
along the main streets of the city: the Via Roma, Via Maqueda, and the Via Liberta. Most shops
are closed Monday morning and food shops are closed on Wednesday afternoons. Otherwise, shops are generally open from
9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. (from 4 to 8 p.m. on Saturday afternoons). The famous local market, the
Vucciria, does business every morning (except Sunday) until 2 p.m.; it is situated in back of the waterfront
in Via Cassari-Argenteria and rambles through the surrounding area, going as far as the Piazza San
Domenico. There are other food markets in operation, notably the Ballarò (in the area around
the Piazza del Carmine) and the Capo (around the Piazza Beati Paoli; its clothing stalls
are located in the vicinity of Via Sant'Agostino and Via Bandiera). A flea market may be found
in the Piazza Peranni-Papireto. The city is full of restaurants and sweet-shops (pasticcerie) for
those dedicated to gustatory pastimes.
[Source: MICHELIN Green Guide to Sicily (1st Ed.,Watford, U.K.:
Michelin Tyre PLC; 1998)]
Because of scheduling constraints within the given week of the conference, the oral
presentations will be limited in number: roughly 100 presenters. Although most of
the attendees will be expected to present their original research during the conference,
some can come as designated observers and will participate fully in the meeting and the
discussions. The official language of the conference for all presented papers and discussions will be English.
The registration costs for observers will be the same as for presenters as everyone is
expected to participate in the discussions, and other ancillary events.
All those interested are invited to apply. As stated elsewhere on this Page, invitations
to attend will be issued on the basis of programmatic considerations. Therefore, please
provide the selection-and-invitation committee (the conference's Scientific and Local
Organizing Committees) with an abstract of one's intended presentation which is as
descriptive of that presentation as might be possible right now.
Presentations will be either as talks or posters. There will be sufficient time in our
conference week for approximately 50-60 oral presentations, which means there will be
about 40-50 poster presentations. NOTE: posters are not "second-class"
presentations but, at past conferences, have proven to be a particularly effective way
to present results and to interact with other attendees. Time will be set aside for
"poster sessions" with no competing talks or other events.
Selected papers from the conference will be published, very likely in book form. To
expedite the process, presenters (both talks and posters) who wish to have their papers
considered for inclusion in the publication should bring a first version of their
presentation material to the conference, both in hard copy and in electronic form. These
papers will be reviewed by an Editorial Committee for inclusion in the subsequent publication.
FURTHER NOTE! Applications for the conference are still being accepted. To be
included in the program book, applications and abstracts must be received no later than
October 15, 2000. To be assured of a hotel room at the conference rates,
requests for hotel reservations must be received no later than November 15, 2000.
Applications to make presentations received after 15 October 2000 will become poster
presentations automatically: we have abundant poster space but only limited time in the
conference program for talks.
In order to prepare a final program that is as complete and accurate as possible, we ask
all poster presenters and observers to have their materials into the Conference's Local
Organizing Committee no later than 15 December 2000.
Also, please note that the pre-registration activity ends on 15 November 2000; after
that date, all applicants will be assessed the full registration fee. See below for
information about registration fees for the conference, etc.
 |
| The Island of Sicily (map courtesy National Geographic Society 1975; with permission). |
In the center of the Mediterranean region, Sicily enjoys a warm climate throughout most of the year. However, the timing of our meeting corresponds to the season of "winter rains," so come prepared for gusty winds, rain, and cool (5o-10o Celsius = 41o-50o Fahrenheit) weather. When the sun pierces the clouds, which it does quite frequently through a day, it warms up beautifully.
International airlines such as Air Europe, Air Malta, Air One, Alitalia, KLM, Meridiana
Airlines, and ScilAir link Palermo with most airports in Italy, thence to major cities
in Europe and around the Mediterranean. In the Winter, Air Malta has two days per week
of direct flight service to and from Luqa Airport to Palermo Airport (during Winter
1999/2000 the two days of direct service were Monday and Friday; it may be different
during Winter 2000/2001).
One can also connect to Catania Airport with the same airlines as above, in addition to
Lufthansa. There is frequent daily bus service from Catania to Palermo; the journey takes
between two and three hours.
Conference participation will be by invitation only after completion of the reviews of
individual applications (go to INSAP III
application for a copy of the INSAP III application form). As has been stated
above, there will be at most about 120 attendees, including a broad range of scholars and
students. Most of those attending will be expected to present original studies and
research results, but some will be admitted as "observers" who are expected to participate
otherwise fully in the meeting.
All applications should be submitted either by E-mail or by regular postal service to
Prof. Raymond E. White whose E-mail address appears in a number of places through
this website; his postal address is: Steward Observatory, 933 N. Cherry Ave., The
University of Arizona, TUCSON, AZ 85721-0065, USA.
Please do not send any checks or money orders for registration costs until AFTER all
applications have been reviewed and invitations to attend have been issued. This will
happen after 15 October 2000.
Our Hotel
 |
 |
| ... the view from the terrace ... | A typical room in the Hotel 'La Torre' |
The conference participants will be housed in one of the large hotels near Palermo, namely, the "Splendid Hotel
'La Torre' " in Mondello, the Palermo 'Lido.' The Hotel 'La Torre' is only a 10-minute bus ride from the Palermo
city center. It lies on a promontory surrounded by the sea and dominated by a Saracen tower. It has 177 rooms
with bath or shower and balcony, air-conditioning and telephone. At the restaurant you can enjoy both Italian and
international cuisine. Facilities include spacious terraces overlooking the sea, meeting rooms , solarium, an
American bar, a swimming pool (salt water), tennis, bowls, acquatic sports (sailing, windsurfing, waterskiing
and scuba diving), hire-boats and motorboats.
A few words about the meeting rooms: we'll be using the hotel's main conference room for the paper sessions which has
a back-of-the-room projection booth containing three (3) Carousel 35-mm slide projectors. The poster sessions will
be held directly across the hall from the paper sessions. There will be, also, a conference secretary present each day,
housed in a smaller office nearby, as well as another nearby room dedicated to E-mail facilties. The Palermo Observatory
will loan us their computer projection unit for those paper presenters who wish to use PowerPoint or equivalent
presentation sofware (not provided by the Local Organizing Committee) with their personal computer.
In the town of
Mondello are offered a wide variety of restaurants and small eating places. For those who like fresh seafood, Mondello
is your town: fresh fish and shellfish predominate most restaurant menues. All establishments are within casual walking
distance from the Hotel 'La Torre.'
From the hotel there are numerous delightful excursions to be made: visits to the monuments of Palermo and its artistic
treasures, to Monreale for its Bizantine catherdral, and to other Sicilian towns.
The room rates in the hotel ("Single room" = one person in a double-occupancy room; European plan: breakfast included)
will hold for the duration of the conference; they have been summarized in the following short table
(note: currently, 1 Euro ~ 1 US$; "Lit" = Italian Lira):
| Single room | Lit.105.000 | or EU 54.20 per person per day |
| Double room | Lit. 170.000 | or EU 87.80 per day |
); fax is also fine (+30 091 233 444)]
to book their reservation(s) at the Hotel 'La Torre.'
What INSAP Isn't
The rationale behind the INSAP Conferences distinguishes it formally
from the inter-disciplinaryfields of study characterized as
"archeoastronomy" and "ethnoastronomy." The interests of INSAP begin at
the applications of astronomical perceptions to the belles arts et lettres.
Traditionally, the roots of archaeo- and ethno-astronomy have been
found in such applications as revealed in prehistoric cultures or in
folk customs.
For those interested in archaeo- and ethno-astronomy,
a URL has been provided, below, through which contact with groups
working in those areas may be contacted, specifically, through the
socalled "Oxford Conferences on Archaeoastronomy."
For a general description of the Oxford Conferences, with numerous
links to information concerning each one of the six meetings, please go
to the general Webpage for the Oxford Conferences.
Go to the INSAP homepage
Go to the First INSAP Conference Webpage
Go to the Second INSAP Conference Webpage
Go to the application form for the Third INSAP Conference
Caveat: The "SUBMIT" mechanism used to transmit the application form may not
be effective universally with the variety of E-mail servers in use presently. Therefore, please "SAVE" your completed
form in ASCII format before submitting an application. If you receive no acknowledgement-of-receipt of your
application within 48 hours of its transmission, then send it as ASCII text via normal E-mail to R.E. White
(see below for his E-mail address).
Dr. George V. Coyne, S.J. gcoyne@as.arizona.edu
Prof. David W. Pankenier dwp0@lehigh.edu
Dr. Rolf M. Sinclair rolf@santafe.edu
Dr. Gary N. Wells wells@ithaca.edu
Prof. Raymond E. White
Chair: Prof. Salvatore Serio serio@oapa.astropa.unipa.it
Prof. Francesco Bertola bertola@pd.astro.it
Prof. Fabrizio Bònoli bonoli@bo.astro.it
Prof. Massimo Capaccioli capaccioli@astrna.na.astro.it
Prof. Vittorio Castellani vittorio@astr18pi.difi.unipi.it
Other LOC members in Palermo will be: Giorgia (Prof. Foderà) Serio (fodera@astropa.unipa.it),
Dr. Ileana Chinnici (chinnici@astropa.unipa.it),
Laura Daricello (conference secretary; insap3@oapa23.astropa.unipa.it),
Donata Randazzo (donata@astropa.unipa.it),
Renato Candia (candia@astropa.unipa.it),
Giuseppe Inzerillo,
Giovanni Liggio (liggio@astropa.unipa.it),
and Giuseppe Vitale.
This page last updated on: 7 August 2007.