The Bullettino meteorologico del Reale Osservatorio Astronomico di Napoli was officially established in January 1875 as a periodical dedicated to the meteorological observations of the Neapolitan observatory. Comprising four tables of observations - later reduced to two from 1880 to 1882 - it represented the natural continuation of the series entitled Osservazioni meteorologiche fatte dall’astron. Assist. F. Brioschi nella R. Specola di Napoli, published from December 1867 to December 1874 within the Rendiconto dell’Accademia delle scienze fisiche e matematiche of the Royal Society of Naples. However, the earliest Bullettino, preserved in the library of the Capodimonte Observatory, with a printed title page, dates to 1876 and includes the Avvertimenti alle osservazioni meteoriche, with references also to the instruments used to measure temperature and humidity, in addition to the monthly tables.
The founding of the Bullettino is part of a long-standing tradition of meteorological observations and publications initiated by Carlo Brioschi. As Vincenzo Canino notes in Il clima di Napoli, Brioschi published monthly extracts of his observations in the Calendari della R. Specola di Napoli until 1832. With the launch of the Annali civili del regno delle Due Sicilie in 1833, the first regular publications of daily data began, organized in monthly tables entitled "Meteorological Observations Made at the Royal Observatory of Naples". From 1840 until February 1860, these tables were also published independently. During this period, the observations were curated and analyzed by leading figures in Neapolitan astronomy, including Antonio Nobile (1794-1863), Leopoldo del Re (1768-1832), Ernesto Capocci (1798-1864), and Annibale de Gasparis (1819-1892). Capocci reorganized the meteorological tables, incorporating information on sky conditions, prevailing winds, and monthly rainfall, as well as columns dedicated to magnetic and anemometric observations, shooting stars, and sunspots.
In 1860, the publication of the Annali ceased, as did the meteorological tables. Faustino Brioschi (1828–190?) resumed their publication in 1865 in the form of the “Cronaca giornaliera di fasi atmosferiche osservate in Napoli” (“Daily Chronicle of Atmospheric Phases Observed in Naples”), included in the Rendiconto dell’Accademia delle scienze fisiche e matematiche. Some issues of the chronicles were supplemented with brief reports on the newly discovered minor planets, written by Annibale de Gasparis, who had become director of the Observatory in 1864. From December 1867, the publication returned to the monthly tables only, entitled Osservazioni meteorologiche fatte dall’astron. Assist. F. Brioschi nella R. Specola di Napoli, with notes on temperature and rainfall. Between 1871 and 1874, two additional tables were added, dedicated to the Osservazioni barografiche orarie and Osservazioni termografiche orarie.
The second Congress of Meteorologists, held in Naples from September 25 to October 1, 1882, marked the formal establishment of the Italian Meteorological Society and confirmed the scientific prestige of the Observatory’s activities in meteorology. The mayor, Girolamo Giusso, invited the director, Annibale de Gasparis, “to participate and to allow the Observatory to contribute to the exhibition” of studies and instruments. De Gasparis gladly accepted the invitation, noting that he had already arranged to present the “works carried out on meteorological subjects at this Royal Astronomical Observatory since 1823”, and invited participants to visit the Meteorological Cabinet and the magnetic stations, where “the esteemed Prof. Brioschi will describe the collection of instruments housed there”. The Bullettino, which between September 1881 and December 1882 changed its title to Bullettino meteorologico e magnetico del Reale Osservatorio astronomico di Napoli, experienced a brief interruption in 1883-1884 to make way for the Osservazioni meteoriche fatte nel R. Osservatorio di Capodimonte, considered a supplement to the Rendiconto. The Bullettino then continued publication until 1888. From the following year, the Osservazioni meteoriche resumed, consisting of a single table and also circulated within the Rendiconto. The series concluded definitively in 1912, but the monthly observation tables continued to be published until 1918 in the periodical Contributi meteorologici del R. Osservatorio di Capodimonte, marking the end of a long and complex editorial tradition.

___Emilia Olostro Cirella