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Niccolò Cacciatore

1770 – 1841

Italian astronomer

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About Niccolò Cacciatore

Lived 1770 – 1841 (aged 71). Niccolò Cacciatore was an astronomer.

Niccolò Cacciatore (; 26 January 1770 – 28 January 1841) was an Italian astronomer.

Biography Cacciatore was born at Casteltermini, in Sicily. While studying mathematics and physics in Palermo, he became acquainted with Giuseppe Piazzi, head of the Palermo Astronomical Observatory, and became a graduate student assistant at the observatory in 1798. Two years later, in 1800, the year before Piazzi discovered Ceres, Cacciatore was formally put on staff.

He married Emmanuela Martini in 1812, with whom he had five children. His son, Gaetano, succeeded him as director of the observatory. Cacciatore's name, Nicholas Hunter in English translation, would be Latinized to Nicolaus Venator. Reversing the letters of this construction produces the two star names. They have endured, the result of Cacciatore's little practical joke of naming the two stars after himself. How Webb arrived at this explanation 45 years after the publication of the catalogue is still a mystery. In 2016, the two names were approved as official by the International Astronomical Union (IAU).

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Important facts

Birth century
Occupation
Awards
Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
Also known as
Nicolaus Venator

People in Niccolò Cacciatore's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Niccolò Cacciatore's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Niccolò Cacciatore?

Italian astronomer

When was Niccolò Cacciatore born?

Niccolò Cacciatore was born on 26 January 1770 in Casteltermini.

When did Niccolò Cacciatore die?

Niccolò Cacciatore died on 28 January 1841 in Palermo.

What was Niccolò Cacciatore's occupation?

Niccolò Cacciatore was an astronomer.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Niccolò Cacciatore

· Wikidata: Q3875847

· DBpedia: Niccolò Cacciatore

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Niccolò Cacciatore. https://biography.guide/niccolo-cacciatore/

MLA: "Niccolò Cacciatore." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/niccolo-cacciatore/.

Chicago: "Niccolò Cacciatore." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/niccolo-cacciatore/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-22 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

Portrait: Wikimedia Commons · author & licence

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