Caterina Scarpellini

Caterina Scarpellini (29 October 1808 – 28 November 1873) was an Italian astronomer who discovered a comet and as a meteorologist she established a station in Rome in the 1850s.

Life
She was born in Foligno on 29 October 1808, Scarpellini moved to Rome at the age of 18. She was an assistant to her uncle, who was the director of the Roman Campidoglio Observatory. She was a corresponding member of the Accademia dei Georgofili in Florence.

Scarpellini was not allowed to become a member of the Accademia dei Lincei, which her uncle had helped re-establish in 1801. She was excluded because she was a woman and also due to her political and philosophical view points.

She discovered a comet on 1 April 1854. Along with her husband, Erasmo Fabri, she established a meteorological station in Rome in 1856. In 1872 she was honored by the Italian government for her work; she died 28 November the following year.

One of the craters of Venus is named after her.