Hevelius presents his new constellations
In this frontispiece to his star atlas Firmamentum Sobiescianum (dated 1687 but not published until 1690), Hevelius bends his knee in
supplication as he presents his new constellations for approval to Urania, the
muse of astronomy, and an array of great astronomers of the past*. In the wings
are small representations of some existing constellations – Taurus with Canis Major and Minor on the left and, at right, Aries, Ursa Major,
Capricornus, Leo, Lyra and Cygnus.
In his right hand Hevelius carries a shield, representing his new constellation
of Scutum, while in his left hand he carries his astronomical sextant, representing Sextans. Behind him come his other constellations representing animals (see enlargement below), led by little Lacerta, the lizard. Following that is Vulpecula cum Anser, the fox and goose; the two hunting dogs, Canes Venatici; above them are Leo Minor and Lynx; and, at top left of this detail, is a three-headed snake representing Cerberus, the monster that guarded the gates of Hades. Cerberus was later dropped by
astronomers, but the seven other constellations shown here remain in the sky.
There is no sign in this illustration of two additional Hevelius inventions, Mons Maenalus (a subdivision of Boötes) and Triangulum Minus (a subdivision of Triangulum).
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* This judging panel of astronomical greats is arranged in roughly chronological
order outwards from Urania. On the left (Urania’s right) are Hipparchus, Timocharis (who actually preceded Hipparchus and hence
is out of order), Ulugh Beg, Tycho and Bernhard Walther (‘Walterus’); on the right are Ptolemy, Albategnius, Wilhelm IV (the Landgrave of Hesse,
here termed ‘Princeps Hass’), Regiomontanus and Copernicus. The inclusion of Wilhelm IV might seem
surprising, as he is much less well known today than the others, but in his day
he was a respected astronomer who compiled a notable star catalogue.