| Paolo Dal Pozzo Toscanelli |
Index for Paolo |
Website Links For Paolo |
Information AboutPaolo Dal Pozzo Toscanelli |
|
Paolo dal Pozzo Toscanelli ( 1397 – May 10 , 1482 ) was an Italian Mathematician , Astronomer , and Cosmographer . He was born at Florence , the son of the Physician Dominic Toscanelli. Paolo was educated in mathematics at the University Of Padua , and left in 1424 with the title of a doctor of Medicine . He is noted for his observations of Comet s and the painstaking calculation of their orbits. Among these was Halley's Comet in 1456 . Toscanelli sent a letter and a map to the court of Lisbon , detailing a scheme for sailing westwards to reach the Spice Islands . A copy of this letter and map was sent to Christopher Columbus , and was carried with him during his first voyage to the new world. External links The image at right is actually a portrait of Christopher Columbus - Manuel Rosa, Columbus Historian (http://www.unmaskingcolumbus.com) |