Maria Celeste

Sister María Celeste, born Virginia (August 16, 1600-April 2, 1634) was the daughter of Galileo Galilei and Marina Gamba. She was the eldest of three siblings: a sister named Livia and a brother named Vincenzio. All three were born out of wedlock and the daughters were considered unworthy of marriage. Concerned about financial problems, Galileo placed them in the Convent of San Matteo shortly after the thirteenth year of Virginia. He chose the name María Celeste after the Virgin Mary and her father's love of astronomy.

Biography

After turning thirteen he entered the convent of San Mateo, from where he did not leave again.

The Inquisition put Galileo on trial for heresies committed against the Church in 1633, and he was forced to recant his theories that the Earth was not the center of the Universe, and he was confined to his home for the rest of his days. As soon as she returned to Arcetri in disgrace, María Celeste contracted dysentery and died at the age of 34.

After Galileo's death, one hundred and twenty-four letters from María Celeste were discovered among his papers: it was the remnant of a vast correspondence between the scientist and his eldest daughter. It is unknown what happened to Galileo's responses to María Celeste, believed to have been destroyed by the ecclesiastical authorities. Of María Celeste, Galileo wrote, [she is] "a woman of exquisite mind, singular goodness, and very attached to me."

El libro Galileo#39;s Daughter (ISBN 0-8027-1343-2, ISBN 0-14-028055-3) describe su vida y la de su padre.

Honors

The IAU has named the Maria Celeste astrobleme (impact crater) on Venus in her honor.