Giovanni Schiaparelli's Merz-Repsold refractor

Merz Repsold refractor - Milan (Credit Pascal Hilkens)

When visiting the "Museo Nazionale Scienza e technologia Leonarde Da Vinci" @ Milan I walked into a huge refractor. It was Giovanni Schiaparelli's Merz-Repsold telescope. When it came to service at the Brera Astronomical Observatory in Milan - the Merz-Repsold telescope was the largest in Italy and one of the most important in the world. With this tool, Schiaparelli conducted his studies on Mars. He observed some structures - shaped like channels - on the surface of the planet. This ignited a debate on their very existence as well as on the possibility of living extra-terrestrial life on Mars.

Giovanni Schiaparelli: March 14, 1835 - July 4, 1910

Merz-Repsold refractor : 

• Optics by GS. Merz and  Mechanics by Repsold in 1882 - operational as from 1886
• Lens diameter : 49cm
• Focal length : 700cm f/14.3
• Column height : 4,5m
• Total weight : mount 3300kg & column 3000kg (the museum had to strenghten the floor to have telescope set up)

The Martian crater "Schiaparelli" is named after Giovanni Schiaparelli. This 459km wide impact crater was also used in the movie "The Martian" in which Schiaparelli is the landing site for Ares4, the fourth manned mission to Mars. An astronaut from Ares 3 who is stranded on Mars, must travel from Acidalia Planitia to Schiaparelli, a journey of 3200km.

Impact Crater Schiaparelli is located central on Mars' Disk