Born into a noble family of Arezzo, Perelli was encouraged by his father to study
law at the
University of Pisa, but
Guido Grandi (1671–1742), an
abbot who was teaching
mathematics there, steered him toward
science. When his father died, Perelli abandoned the study of law for good. He decided to get a degree in
physics and
medicine. He studied
astronomy and medicine at the
University of Bologna, and
Greek literature at the
University of Padua. He was then appointed by the
Tuscan government to the chair in astronomy at the University of Pisa, where he became a noted astronomer and hydraulics expert. He was the first to identify the hill of
Arcetri, near
Galileo's (1564–1642) last home,
Villa Il Gioiello, as ideal location for astronomical observations. ==Works==