De Astronomica, or the Astronomy, also known as Poeticon Astronomicon,[1] is a book of stories whose text is attributed to "Hyginus", though the true authorship is disputed. During the Renaissance[citation needed], the work was attributed to the Roman historian Gaius Julius Hyginus who lived during the 1st century BC. However, the fact that the book lists most of the constellations north of the ecliptic in the same order as Ptolemy's Almagest (written in the 2nd century) has led many to believe that a more recent Hyginus or Pseudo-Hyginus created the text.
Two pages from the Ratdolt edition of the De Astronomica showing woodcuts of the constellations Cassiopeia and Andromeda. Courtesy of the US Naval Observatory Library
The text describes 47 of the 48 Ptolemaic constellations, centering primarily on the Greek and Roman mythology surrounding the constellations, though there is some discussion of the relative positions of stars. The first known printing was in 1475, attributed to "Ferrara."
The De Astronomica was not formally published until 1482, by Erhard Ratdolt in Venice. This edition carried the full title Clarissimi Viri Hyginii Poeticon Astronomicon Opus Vtilissimum. Ratdolt commissioned a series of woodcuts depicting the constellations to accompany Hyginus's text. As with many other star atlases that would follow it, the positions of various stars are indicated overlaid on the image of each constellation. However, the relative positions of the stars in the woodcuts bear little resemblance to the descriptions given by Hyginus in the text or the actual positions of the stars in the sky.[1]
As a result of the inaccuracy of the depicted star positions and the fact that the constellations are not shown with any context, the De Astronomica is not particularly useful as a guide to the night sky. However, the illustrations commissioned by Ratdolt served as a template for future sky atlas renderings of the constellation figures. The text, by contrast, is an important source, and occasionally the only source, for some of the more obscure Greek myths.
^ abStar Tales – Illustrating the works of Aratus and Hyginus
Bibliography
Condos, Theony, Star Myths of the Greeks and Romans: A Sourcebook, Containing The Constellations of Pseudo-Eratosthenes and the Poetic Astronomy of Hyginus (Grand Rapids [MI]: Phanes Press, 1997) ISBN1-890482-92-7.
Hard, Robin (transl.), Eratosthenes and Hyginus: Constellation Myths, with Aratus's Phaenomena (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2015) ISBN978-0-19-871698-3.
External links
High-resolution images of some pages from the Ratdolt edition
Theoi Project: Astronomica (translated by Mary Grant)
April 28, 2023
astronomica, work, manilius, astronomica, manilius, astronomy, also, known, poeticon, astronomicon, book, stories, whose, text, attributed, hyginus, though, true, authorship, disputed, during, renaissance, citation, needed, work, attributed, roman, historian, . For the work by Manilius see Astronomica Manilius De Astronomica or the Astronomy also known as Poeticon Astronomicon 1 is a book of stories whose text is attributed to Hyginus though the true authorship is disputed During the Renaissance citation needed the work was attributed to the Roman historian Gaius Julius Hyginus who lived during the 1st century BC However the fact that the book lists most of the constellations north of the ecliptic in the same order as Ptolemy s Almagest written in the 2nd century has led many to believe that a more recent Hyginus or Pseudo Hyginus created the text Two pages from the Ratdolt edition of the De Astronomica showing woodcuts of the constellations Cassiopeia and Andromeda Courtesy of the US Naval Observatory Library The text describes 47 of the 48 Ptolemaic constellations centering primarily on the Greek and Roman mythology surrounding the constellations though there is some discussion of the relative positions of stars The first known printing was in 1475 attributed to Ferrara The De Astronomica was not formally published until 1482 by Erhard Ratdolt in Venice This edition carried the full title Clarissimi Viri Hyginii Poeticon Astronomicon Opus Vtilissimum Ratdolt commissioned a series of woodcuts depicting the constellations to accompany Hyginus s text As with many other star atlases that would follow it the positions of various stars are indicated overlaid on the image of each constellation However the relative positions of the stars in the woodcuts bear little resemblance to the descriptions given by Hyginus in the text or the actual positions of the stars in the sky 1 As a result of the inaccuracy of the depicted star positions and the fact that the constellations are not shown with any context the De Astronomica is not particularly useful as a guide to the night sky However the illustrations commissioned by Ratdolt served as a template for future sky atlas renderings of the constellation figures The text by contrast is an important source and occasionally the only source for some of the more obscure Greek myths Contents 1 References 1 1 Citations 1 2 Bibliography 2 External linksReferences EditCitations Edit a b Star Tales Illustrating the works of Aratus and Hyginus Bibliography Edit Condos Theony Star Myths of the Greeks and Romans A Sourcebook Containing The Constellations of Pseudo Eratosthenes and the Poetic Astronomy of Hyginus Grand Rapids MI Phanes Press 1997 ISBN 1 890482 92 7 Hard Robin transl Eratosthenes and Hyginus Constellation Myths with Aratus s Phaenomena Oxford Oxford University Press 2015 ISBN 978 0 19 871698 3 External links EditHigh resolution images of some pages from the Ratdolt edition Theoi Project Astronomica translated by Mary Grant Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title De Astronomica amp oldid 1049167809, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
