Vesuvius Observatory, the world's first volcano observatory
Observatorio Vesubiano, primer observatorio volcanológico
- Date
- 1841-1845 · confidence medium
- Place
- Ercolano, Naples, Campania, Italy
- Credited to
- Kingdom of the Two Sicilies; Macedonio Melloni (first director)
- Field
- Cosmos & Earth
What it is
Founded by decree of Ferdinand II in 1841 and opened in 1845 on the slope of Vesuvius, it was the first observatory devoted to continuously monitoring a volcano, with seismographs and systematic observations. It later became a base for instrumental volcanology.
The decree is from 1841, but the observatory did not open until 1845 under Melloni; Luigi Palmieri later directed it (1855-1896) and was its best-known figure.
What it led to
- continuous instrumental volcano monitoring
- models for observatories such as Hawaii's
- Palmieri's seismograph (1856)