Sister Maria Celeste (born Virginia Gamba; 16August 16002April 1634) was an Italian nun. She was the illegitimate daughter of the scientist Galileo Galilei and Marina Gamba. Maria Celeste was also a mediator between her father and her brother.

In fiction

  • Maria Celeste appears as a character in the play Life of Galileo, by Bertold Brecht and Margarete Steffin. The play does not give an accurate portrayal of her life as it depicts her becoming engaged, rather than as a nun.
  • She appears as a character in the novel Galileo's Dream, by Kim Stanley Robinson.
  • Maria Celeste is a character in the 2026 Broadway musical Galileo by Michael Weiner, Zoe Sarnak, and Danny Strong.

References

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Further reading

  • Favaro, Antonio. , Florence: G. Barbèra, 1891
  • Sobel, Dava. Galileo's Daughter: A Historical Memoir of Science, Faith and Love, Penguin Group, 1999, . Numerous formats and translations.
  • Galileo Project