Credit: ©The Royal Society
    Image number: RS.14863

    Occultation of Saturn

    Date
    16 November 1677
    Object type
    Archive reference number
    Manuscript page number
    p17a
    Material
    Technique
    Dimensions
    height (page): 309mm
    width (page): 190mm
    Subject
    Content object
    space
       > Solar system
          > planet
             > Saturn
    space
       > Solar system
          > Moon
    Description
    Printed image of the surface of the Moon with pen marking showing the path of Saturn behind the Moon.

    This records Johannes Hevelius's observation of the path of Saturn relative to the Moon on 11 November 1677, at Gdansk. This was included in his letter to Henry Oldenburg dated 16 November 1677. Hevelius had obviously not yet heard that Oldenburg had died in September 1677.

    This, together with other observations, was read to the Royal Society on 3 January 1678.
    Object history
    At the meeting of the Royal Society on 3 January 1678, ‘The epitome of six papers from Mr. Hevelius to the secretary was read. The first marked A, was a letter about several particulars. The second marked B, contained an account of the occultation of Saturn by the moon, which he would have observed, but that the weather prevented him. C was concerning the transit of mercury through the sun. D a catalogue of the distances and positions of Saturn to the moon. E a scheme or draught of the same observed through a twelve and twenty foot telescope. F farther observations of the changes of the star in Collo Ceti continued to December 6, 1677. N. S.’ (Birch, 3:372).
    Related fellows
    Johannes Hevelius (1611 - 1687, German/Polish) , Astronomer
    Henry Oldenburg (1612 - 1677, German) , Scientific correspondent
    Associated place
    <The World>
       > Europe
          > Poland
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