Donati

Donati, Giambattista (1826-1873), an Italian astronomer, was born at Pisa. In 1852 he became an assistant in the observatory at Florence, becoming director of it in 1864. In 1858 he discovered the bright comet of 1858 which bears his name. Few who saw that comet will forget its magnificence. Besides having a great share in the building of a fine observatory near Florence, Donati constructed a spectroscope of twenty-five prisms.