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Book/Printed Material Instruments for the Restoration of Astronomy. Astronomiæ instauratæ mechanica

About this Item

Title

  • Instruments for the Restoration of Astronomy.

Other Title

  • Astronomiæ instauratæ mechanica

Summary

  • Tycho Brahe (1546--1601) was a Danish astronomer who built the best observatory in Europe and set a new standard for accurate celestial observations in the era before the invention of the telescope. His noble birth enabled him to pursue his true interests in the humanities and the sciences, particularly astronomy. He became adept at designing scientific instruments and making observations during his early travels in Europe. Upon his return to Denmark he won favor with King Frederick II, who provided him with monetary support to continue his astronomical researches and gave him the small island of Hven in the Danish straits, where Tycho began construction of his observatory complex. For his observatory, he designed massive instruments with which he hoped to obtain the most accurate observations ever. King Frederick died in 1588, and his successors at the royal court were less supportive of Tycho. In 1597, Tycho left Hven for northern Germany, where he began work on a book intended to be a showcase of his instruments, highlighting their superiority and how they would provide the measurements which would lead to "restored astronomy." In addition to text, the book featured plans and illustrations of Tycho's instruments. Tycho completed the work in January 1598, and had 100 copies produced by the Hamburg printer Philip von Ohrs. Tycho dedicated the book to the Holy Roman Emperor, Rudolf II, in hopes of gaining his patronage. Rudolf enthusiastically took Tycho into his favor and in 1598 provided him with a castle near Prague to further his astronomical work. Tycho's death in 1601 cut short by his work, and it was left to his assistants, including the great German astronomer Johannes Kepler (1571--1630), to continue his systematic observations of the planets and stars. Shown here is the 1602 edition of Tycho's work, produced in Nuremberg by the printer Levinus Hulsius.

Names

  • Brahe, Tycho, 1546-1601 Author.

Created / Published

  • Nuremberg : Levinus Hulsius, 1602.

Headings

  • -  Germany--Bavaria--Nuremberg
  • -  1602
  • -  Astronomical instruments
  • -  Astronomical observatories

Notes

  • -  Title devised, in English, by Library staff.
  • -  Original resource extent: [107] pages : illustrations, maps, plans ; 33 centimeters.
  • -  Original resource at: Smithsonian Institution.
  • -  Content in Latin.
  • -  Description based on data extracted from World Digital Library, which may be extracted from partner institutions.

Medium

  • 1 online resource.

Digital Id

Library of Congress Control Number

  • 2021666746

Online Format

  • compressed data
  • pdf
  • image

Additional Metadata Formats

IIIF Presentation Manifest

Rights & Access

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Credit Line: [Original Source citation], World Digital Library

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Cite This Item

Citations are generated automatically from bibliographic data as a convenience, and may not be complete or accurate.

Chicago citation style:

Brahe, Tycho, Author. Instruments for the Restoration of Astronomy. Nuremberg: Levinus Hulsius, 1602. Pdf. https://www.loc.gov/item/2021666746/.

APA citation style:

Brahe, T. (1602) Instruments for the Restoration of Astronomy. Nuremberg: Levinus Hulsius. [Pdf] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/2021666746/.

MLA citation style:

Brahe, Tycho, Author. Instruments for the Restoration of Astronomy. Nuremberg: Levinus Hulsius, 1602. Pdf. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/2021666746/>.