Francesco de Vico

Father Francesco de Vico (also known as de Vigo) (May 19, 1805 in Macerata – November 15, 1848) was an Italian astronomer at Vatican Observatory, and also a Jesuit priest. His name is also written De Vico and even DeVico.

He discovered or co-discovered a number of comets, including periodic comets 54P/de Vico-Swift-NEAT and 122P/de Vico. He also independently discovered the comet (C/1847 T1) that brought fame to Maria Mitchell as "Miss Mitchell's Comet", two days after she did. The news did not reach Europe before Father De Vico announced his observation, so it was initially named for him. He received the award from the Danish king, who had offered a prize for the first comet discovered through a telescope (prior to this time, all comet discoveries were ones that could be seen by the unaided eye). Mitchell was later recognized and awarded a medal as well.

He also made observations of Saturn and the gaps in its rings (he was the first to see the narrow division in the rings of Saturn now known as the Keeler Gap after James Keeler), and unsuccessfully attempted to determine the rotation period of Venus.

He found a remarkable number of comets in a relatively short time, and began an ambitious project to compile an atlas of stars down to 11th magnitude. However, the Revolutions of 1848 in the Italian states cut short his observing career, as he was forced into exile, touring Paris, London, and the United States, where he was received by the President. He was pleased with his reception in the U.S. and wished to settle there at Georgetown College, but first returned to Europe to try to recruit some colleagues to join him. Unfortunately, worn out from the travel, he died in London in November of that same year.

The lunar crater De Vico and the asteroid 20103 de Vico are named after him.