Barnaba Oriani

Barnaba Oriani (* July 17, 1752 in Carignano, † November 12, 1832 in Brera, Kingdom of Lombardy-Venetia ) was an Italian astronomer and scientist.

After primary school in Carigniano he studied with the support of Barnabites in Milan at the College of San Alessandro. After studying physics, mathematics, philosophy and theology, he became a priest in 1775.

Due to his interest in astronomy, he became in 1776 assistant at the Observatory Brera, where he in 1802 became director in 1778 and assistant.

Oriani was a longtime friend of Giuseppe Piazzi, the discoverer of the dwarf planet Ceres. They worked 37 years together at many astronomical projects. Since 1808 he was a corresponding member of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences.