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Astronomical Images : The twelve astrological houses and the distribution of zodiac signs between planets

Oronce Fine

Astronomical Images

<p style='text-align: justify;'>Oronce Fine (1494-1555) was a prolific author on mathematics, instruments and astronomy, among other things, and held, from 1531, the chair of mathematics at the newly established Collège Royal (known since 1870 as the Collège de France) in Paris. He is credited with the promotion of mathematics through his numerous publications and instruments. He also made and sold his own instruments, encouraged others to make their own by cutting out pages from his practical manuals, and worked as editor and overseer in printing houses. Fine published on a range of topics, and was interested in practical concerns as well as abstract debates, so while he is remembered for theoretical achievements, such as giving the value of pi correct to four significant figures, he also worked extensively with instruments and maps. While traditionally Fine's competence as a mathematician has been questioned, recent assessments have emphasised how he represented Renaissance mathematical culture, encompassing geometry, surveying, optics, cosmography, cartography, and astronomy. In cartography, Fine produced a cordiform, or heart-shaped, projection which was often used by later map-makers. This 1555 work was based on part of Fine's <i>De mundi sphaera, sive cosmographia</i> of 1542. In the 1542 work, Fine had presented the material in five distinct books. The fifth book of this work, which covered aspects of astronomy, geography and hydrography, was then digested, annotated and furnished with new examples, to produce the 1555 work from which this image is taken. The table in the left-hand margin shows the twelve astrological houses and the distribution of the zodiac signs between the planets.</p>


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