2 As a matter of fact, in 1786 King Ferdinand had consented that an astronomical observatory be built in Naples and, for this purpose, had allotted substantial amounts of money. The building of the Naples Observatory took more than thirty years, and was finally brought to completion in 1819. It was Piazzi who succeeded in the task of getting it completed in two years, between 1817 and 1819. On the history of the Naples Observatory and on Piazzi's role, see the chapter by G. Foderà Serio in L'Osservatorio Astronomico di Capodimonte, M. Rigutti ed., F. Fiorentino, Napoli 1992.