Harmonia Macrocosmica facts for kids
Frontispiece from the 1708 edition
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| Author | Andreas Cellarius |
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| Illustrator | Frederik Hendrik van den Hove, Johannes van Loon e.a. |
| Country | Netherlands |
| Language | Latin, Dutch, German, French |
| Publisher | Johannes Janssonius |
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Publication date
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1660 |
| Media type | Stellar Atlas |
| number of plates = 29 | |
The Harmonia Macrocosmica is a very old and famous book of maps about the stars and the universe. It was created by a person named Andreas Cellarius and published in 1660. This book is special because it shows different ideas people had about how the universe worked a long time ago.
Contents
Harmonia Macrocosmica: A Star Atlas
The Harmonia Macrocosmica is known as a star atlas. Think of it like a map book, but instead of showing countries or cities, it shows the stars and planets. It was put together by Andreas Cellarius, who was a German-Dutch cartographer. A cartographer is someone who makes maps.
This amazing book was published in 1660 by Johannes Janssonius. It was a big deal back then because it brought together many ideas about space in one beautiful collection.
Exploring the Universe Models
The first part of the Harmonia Macrocosmica shows different ways people imagined the universe. These ideas are called "models." The book includes models from three famous thinkers:
- Claudius Ptolemy: His model was very old. It showed Earth as the center of the universe. Everything else, like the Sun, Moon, and stars, revolved around Earth.
- Nicolaus Copernicus: His model was newer. It suggested that the Sun was actually the center of our solar system. Earth and other planets orbited the Sun. This was a big change in thinking!
- Tycho Brahe: His model was a mix of both. He thought the Sun orbited Earth, but all other planets orbited the Sun.
The book used special pictures called copper plate prints to show these models. These prints were very detailed and beautiful.
Star Maps and Constellations
The second part of the atlas is full of star maps. These maps show the different constellations. Constellations are groups of stars that form patterns in the sky. People often give them names, like Orion or Ursa Major.
The maps in Harmonia Macrocosmica focused on Christian constellations. This means they often had names or pictures related to Christian stories or symbols.
Why Was This Book Important?
The Harmonia Macrocosmica was very important for several reasons. It was one of the most beautiful and detailed star atlases of its time. It helped people understand the different ideas about the universe.
The book also included plates that supported the views of the Catholic Church. This was important because, at that time, the Church had a list of books they did not want people to read. This list was called the Index Librorum Prohibitorum. Because Harmonia Macrocosmica included ideas that fit with the Church's views, it was not put on this list. This meant more people could read and learn from it.
The Harmonia Macrocosmica remains a famous and beautiful example of how people explored and understood the cosmos centuries ago.
See also
- In Spanish: Harmonia Macrocosmica para niños
