Galileo gave his eldest daughter the first name Virginia; she later became known as Sister Maria Celeste. She was born Virginia Gamba in Padua on 16 August 1600, the daughter of Galileo Galilei and Marina Gamba.
Virginia was the eldest of three siblings. Because she and her sister Livia were born outside marriage, Galileo placed the two girls in the convent of San Matteo near Florence when Virginia was about thirteen. When she took religious vows in 1616, she adopted the name Maria Celeste, honouring the Virgin Mary and reflecting her father’s connection with astronomy.
Maria Celeste remained closely involved with Galileo’s life from the convent. She managed convent affairs, prepared remedies, exchanged letters with him, and may have helped with some manuscripts. Her 124 surviving letters, written between 1623 and 1633, provide an unusually personal view of Galileo’s family and final years.