Giovanni Battista Amici

Giovanni Battista Amici was an Italian astronomer, microscopist, and botanist.

Biography

Amici was born in Modena, in present-day Italy. He studied mathematics in his hometown under Paolo Ruffini. After graduating from the University of Bologna, he became professor of mathematics at Modena, and in 1831 was appointed inspector-general of studies in the Duchy of Modena. A few years later he was chosen director of the observatory at Florence, where he also lectured at the museum of natural history.
His name is best known for the improvements he effected in the mirrors of reflecting telescopes and especially in the construction of the microscope. He invented the dipleidoscope and also the direct vision prism.
He was also a diligent and skillful observer, and busied himself not only with astronomical subjects, such as the double stars, the satellites of Jupiter and the measurement of the polar and equatorial diameters of the sun, but also with biological studies of the circulation of the sap in plants, the fructification of plants, infusoria etc. He was the first to observe the pollen tube.
Amici died in Florence on 10 April 1863. The crater Amici on the Moon is named in his honour.