Astronomical Images : Frontispiece to Hevelius' Selenographia

Johannes Hevelius

Astronomical Images

Johannes Hevelius (1611-1687) learnt mathematics, instrument-making and astronomy from his teacher, Peter Krueger, at the gymnasium in Danzig (present-day Gdansk, Poland). He studied law at the University of Leiden, travelled to London, Paris and Avignon, and returned to Danzig to work at his father's brewery before becoming a magistrate and councillor. He set up an observatory in his house, which he called 'Sternenburg', where he made observations using instruments he had devised or improved. His astronomical publications included Selenographia (1647), a description of his lunar observations; Cometographia (1668), which included his observations of the comet of 1652; Machina coelestis (1679), describing various instruments; and the posthumous Prodromus astronomiae (1690), a star catalogue. Hevelius' Selenographia has been described by Mary Winkler and Albert van Helden as a pivotal book in establishing a new visual language of astronomy based on telescopic observations. The frontispiece to Selenographia is designed by Adolf Boy and engraved by Jeremias Falck. At the top centre is a personification of 'Contemplatio' with a telescope in her hand. To the left is depicted the surface of the Moon and to the right the sunspots. Two putti hold up a banner with a quote from Isaiah 40:26, 'Lift up your eyes on high and see: who created these?' Two male figures hold up a scroll on which is inscribed the title of the book, which in turn is described as being paid for by the author himself. The male figures may be identified from their pedestals as Galileo and Alhazen (the Latinized name for Ibn Al-Haytham, 965-1040). Alhazen holds a sheet of paper with a diagram and Galileo a telescope, and they are identified, respectively, with reason (ratione) and sense experience (sensu). At the bottom centre is a view of the city of Danzig, with the city's coat of arms above it.