Measures of the Earth Obliquity during the 1701 Winter Solstice at the Clementine Meridian Line in Rome

TL;DR

This paper discusses the historical measurement of Earth's obliquity during the 1701 winter solstice at the Clementine Meridian Line in Rome, highlighting the instrument's design and measurement accuracy.

Contribution

It presents the first measurements of Earth's obliquity at the Clementine Meridian Line and analyzes the instrument's accuracy using a pinhole-based design.

Findings

First measurement of Earth's obliquity in 1701 at Rome

Assessment of measurement accuracy with pinhole instrument

Comparison with previous instruments by Cassini

Abstract

The great meridian line in the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli in Rome was built in 1701/1702 with the scope of measuring the obliquity of the Earth's orbit in the following eight centuries, upon the will of Pope Clement XI. During the winter solstice of 1701 the first measurements of the obliquity were taken by Francesco Bianchini. He was the astronomer who designed the meridian line, upgrading the similar instrument realized by Giandomenico Cassini in San Petronio, Bononia. The accuracy of the data is discussed from the point of view of the use of the pinhole.