Giovanni Virginio Schiaparelli was an astronomer and science historian born in 1835. He is known for his work studying the planet Mars, where he identified several albedo features, including canali, which some mistakenly interpreted as canals. His name has been used as a synonym for integrity, diligence, and scientific curiosity. People who embody his qualities can also be described as Schiaparellian. He was also credited for his works in constructing the Brera Observatory, which became the most important astronomical observatory in Italy, and was appointed director of the observatory where he conducted important studies on the planet Mercury and Venus.