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Senator Baron JEAN BATISTE PLANA was born in Voghera in November 1781.
He entered the École Polytechnique of Paris, classed eighth among 120 admitted under Professors Lagrange, La Place, and Legendre.
On leaving the Polytechnic School he was appointed pro-fessor in the École Impérial d'Artillerie of Alexandria in Piedmont, and was sent there by Legendre with the following remark, "You are young, but youth is a fault which one corrects every day."
From 1812 to 1853 Plana was Professor of the Higher Mathematics in the University of Turin, and was also Professor at the Military College. He was appointed Royal Astronomer to the Observatory of Turin, and held that office until his death. He was President of the Academy of Sciences in Turin, Membre Etranger de l'Institut de France, and member of most of the existing scientific societies.
Plana married Alexandra, daughter of the celebrated Lagrange. He had one son, who died in early life, and a daughter, Sophia, still living.
He died in Turin on January 20th, 1864, where he was buried with almost regal pomp.
Plana appears to have directed his attention for many years to the Theory of the Moon's movement; for, though his great work on that subject was not completed until 1832, yet so early as 1816 his friend the Baron de Zach wrote to him as follows:– " I am aware that you have undertaken, in concert with Signor Carlini, an important work on the Theory of the Moon. The existing theory has, in truth, much need of re-vision, and I have no doubt much good will result from your investigations."
Plana and Carlini were associated as astronomers in the measure of an are of the Meridian in Savoy and Piedmont, entrusted to a mixed Commission, appointed by the Govern-ments of Austria and of Piedmont, and performed during the years 1821, 1822, 1823.
This important operation was admirably conducted, and the result published in two volumes; the Introduction to which was written by Plana, with the approval of Carlini. The astronomical labour and talent displayed in this work were so highly appreciated, that in 1828 the Institute of France adjudged the Lalande Prize to Plana and Carlini as authors of the most interesting observations and of the memoir most useful to the progress of astronomical science.
Plana was made a Baron by the King of Sardinia, and also named a Senator at the formation of that body in 1848.
Plana's first important work was his Théorie Mathématique du Mouvement de la Lune, and the latest, Mémoire sur les Formules du Mouvement circulaire et du Mouvement elliptique libre autour d'un point excentrique par l'Action d'une Force centrale, was read by the veteran savant himself at the Academy of Turin a short time before his death, namely, on the 6th of January. Among his numerous contributions to science may also be cited a mathematical demonstration of the existence of a circumpolar northern ocean. Plana was always accessible to strangers visiting Turin, and was remark-able for his kind and courteous reception of men of science who sought his acquaintance.
He entered the École Polytechnique of Paris, classed eighth among 120 admitted under Professors Lagrange, La Place, and Legendre.
On leaving the Polytechnic School he was appointed pro-fessor in the École Impérial d'Artillerie of Alexandria in Piedmont, and was sent there by Legendre with the following remark, "You are young, but youth is a fault which one corrects every day."
From 1812 to 1853 Plana was Professor of the Higher Mathematics in the University of Turin, and was also Professor at the Military College. He was appointed Royal Astronomer to the Observatory of Turin, and held that office until his death. He was President of the Academy of Sciences in Turin, Membre Etranger de l'Institut de France, and member of most of the existing scientific societies.
Plana married Alexandra, daughter of the celebrated Lagrange. He had one son, who died in early life, and a daughter, Sophia, still living.
He died in Turin on January 20th, 1864, where he was buried with almost regal pomp.
Plana appears to have directed his attention for many years to the Theory of the Moon's movement; for, though his great work on that subject was not completed until 1832, yet so early as 1816 his friend the Baron de Zach wrote to him as follows:– " I am aware that you have undertaken, in concert with Signor Carlini, an important work on the Theory of the Moon. The existing theory has, in truth, much need of re-vision, and I have no doubt much good will result from your investigations."
Plana and Carlini were associated as astronomers in the measure of an are of the Meridian in Savoy and Piedmont, entrusted to a mixed Commission, appointed by the Govern-ments of Austria and of Piedmont, and performed during the years 1821, 1822, 1823.
This important operation was admirably conducted, and the result published in two volumes; the Introduction to which was written by Plana, with the approval of Carlini. The astronomical labour and talent displayed in this work were so highly appreciated, that in 1828 the Institute of France adjudged the Lalande Prize to Plana and Carlini as authors of the most interesting observations and of the memoir most useful to the progress of astronomical science.
Plana was made a Baron by the King of Sardinia, and also named a Senator at the formation of that body in 1848.
Plana's first important work was his Théorie Mathématique du Mouvement de la Lune, and the latest, Mémoire sur les Formules du Mouvement circulaire et du Mouvement elliptique libre autour d'un point excentrique par l'Action d'une Force centrale, was read by the veteran savant himself at the Academy of Turin a short time before his death, namely, on the 6th of January. Among his numerous contributions to science may also be cited a mathematical demonstration of the existence of a circumpolar northern ocean. Plana was always accessible to strangers visiting Turin, and was remark-able for his kind and courteous reception of men of science who sought his acquaintance.
Giovanni Antonio Amedeo Plana's obituary appeared in Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society 24:4 (1864), 89-90.