Path of the comet of 1652
Date
1668
Creator
Johannes Hevelius (1611 - 1687, German/Polish) , Engraver
Object type
Library reference
RCN 44014
Material
Technique
Subject
Content object
Description
Diagram showing the path of a comet through the constellations from 20 December to 8 January 1652. The constellations are shown as both collections of stars and as illustrations of the images they are known by. The print was engraved by Hevelius himself.
This comet is now known as C/1652 Y1, it was observed by numerous astronomers around the world, but Hevelius recorded its path in the greatest detail.
Figure A from Johannes Hevelius’s Cometographia.
Inscribed above: ‘Cursus Cometae 1652, à Die 20 Decemb. Ad 8 Januar./adservatus GEDANJ, à J. Hevelio.’ Constellations labelled as: ‘Auriga.’ ‘Perseus.’ ‘Triangulum.’ ‘Taurus.’ ‘Aries.’ ‘Orion.’ ‘Cetus.’ ‘Eridanus.’ ‘Lepus.’ Inscribed below: ‘Fig. A.’ ‘Autor Sculpsit.’
Johannes Hevelius (1611-1687), Polish astronomer, was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1664. He devoted much of his life to constructing astronomical instruments, and developed a well-equipped observatory in Danzig, Poland.
This comet is now known as C/1652 Y1, it was observed by numerous astronomers around the world, but Hevelius recorded its path in the greatest detail.
Figure A from Johannes Hevelius’s Cometographia.
Inscribed above: ‘Cursus Cometae 1652, à Die 20 Decemb. Ad 8 Januar./adservatus GEDANJ, à J. Hevelio.’ Constellations labelled as: ‘Auriga.’ ‘Perseus.’ ‘Triangulum.’ ‘Taurus.’ ‘Aries.’ ‘Orion.’ ‘Cetus.’ ‘Eridanus.’ ‘Lepus.’ Inscribed below: ‘Fig. A.’ ‘Autor Sculpsit.’
Johannes Hevelius (1611-1687), Polish astronomer, was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1664. He devoted much of his life to constructing astronomical instruments, and developed a well-equipped observatory in Danzig, Poland.
Related fellows
Johannes Hevelius (1611 - 1687, German/Polish) , Astronomer