Accession No

1762

Brief Description

celestial planisphere, English, 1700 (c)

Origin

England; London

Maker

Class

astronomy

Earliest Date

1700

Latest Date

1700

Inscription Date

Material

metal (silver, white metal)

Dimensions

diameter 127mm; thickness 7mm box diameter 137mm; thickness 16mm

Special Collection

Holden-White collection

Provenance

On loan from The Fitzwilliam Museum, University of Cambridge. Donated by Charles Holden-White to the Fitzwilliam Museum. C. Holden-White collection no. 1935.116.

Inscription

Description Notes

Obverse: planisphere of Northern stars. Circumference carries four concentric scales. Outer most is scale of degrees divided [0] - 360˚, numbered by 10˚, subdivided to 30´. Next a scale of hours divided I - XII, I - XII, numbered by I, subdivided to 5 minutes. Next a calendar scale divided to month, marked by initial, numbered 10-20-28, 30 or 31 as appropriate, subdivided to 1 day. Innermost is zodiac scale, divided [0] - 360˚, marked by zodiac symbol, numbered by 10˚, subdivided to 1˚ [1st Aries at March 10]. The planisphere has the symbolic representations of the major constellations and their stars, differentiated by magnitude, with polar and tropic circles; equatorial and solstial colures, one radius of former with latitude scale divided 0 - 90˚, numbered 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, subdivided to 1˚. Ecliptic marked with signs of the zodiac and divided to 1˚. Constellations represented are Ursa Minor, Draco, Hercules, Serpentarius vel ophiucus, Corona Borealis, Serpens, Boötes, Virgo, Coma Berenices, Cor Caroli, Ursa Major, Leo, Hydra, Canis minor, Cancer, Gemini, Orion, Auriga, Perseus, Caput Medusae, Triangulum, Cassiopeia, Andromeda, Aries, Pisces, Cetus, Pegasus, Cepheus, Equuleus, Delphinus, Aquila et Antinous, Cygnus, Lyra.
Reverse: scales around circumference are the same as those on the front with the omission of the outer degree scale. Planisphere itself is as the obverse, with the following constellations: Aquarius, Capricornus, Sagittarius, Aquila et Antinous, Pisces Austral, Grus, Toucan, Indus, Pavo, Corona Austral, Serpentarius vel ophiucus, Scorpio, Libra, Virgo, Ara, Triangul Austral, Apus, Musca Austral, Crus, Centaurus, Lupu, Hydra, Crater, Chameleon, Pisces Volans, [Oak?], Nautica, Canis Major, Lepu, Orion, Columba, Dorado, Hydra, Phoenix, Eridanu, Cetaus.
Alidade pivoted to centre of obverse; pinhole sights. Degree scale divided [0] - [90] - [0], numbered by 10˚, subdivided to 1˚. (Can also be fitted to reverse of instrument).
White metal case with push-fit top.

Condition good; complete (?).

[NOTE: On 15/04/2015 XRF analysis was conducted on this instrument. Results and analysis are given in the ‘Notes’ field.]

References

Events