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Giovanni Domenico Cassini, also known as Jean-Dominique Cassini, (June 8, 1625–September 14, 1712) was an Italian-French astronomer, engineer and astrologer. Cassini was born in Perinaldo in the Republic of Genoa (part of Italy).
Cassini, along with Robert Hooke discovered the Great Red Spot on Jupiter in around 1665. He also discovered the four of Saturn's moons, as well as the Cassini Division in Saturn's rings.
The gnomon projected image of the Sun on the floor at Florence Cathedral. Cassini measured a similar image over a year at San Petronio Basilica to try to prove the Earth orbited the Sun.
An engraving of the Paris Observatory during Cassini's time. The tower on the right is the "Marly Tower", a dismantled part of the Machine de Marly, moved there by Cassini for mounting long focus and aerial telescopes.
