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Annals of Science Volume 47, 1990 - Issue 6
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The light and the dark: A reassessment of the discovery of the Coalsack Nebula, the magellanic clouds and the southern cross

Elly Dekker Meidoornlaan 13, 3461 ES, Linschoten, The Netherlands
Pages 529-560 | Received 09 Jun 1990, Published online: 23 Aug 2006

  • Leporace Tullia Gasparrini Le navigazioni atlantiche del Veneziano Alvise Da Mosto Rome1966 86 86 (Il nuovo Ramusio v) and 284 note 12. G. R. Crone, The Voyages of Cadamosto (London, 1937), printed for the Hakluyt Society. p. 61
  • Crone , G.R. 1966 . Le navigazioni atlantiche del Veneziano Alvise Da Mosto 61 – 61 . Rome The following original text is from Gasparrini Leporace (footnote 1), 86: ‘Item havessemo vista de 6 stelle basse sopra el mar, chiare e lucide e grande; e tolte queste a segno del busolo, ne staveno dreto per ostro, afegurade in questo modo seguente: [here follows the drawing] le qual i zudigassemo quelle esser el caro del ostro; ma la stelle principal non vedessemo, perché el non giera rasonevole poderla discoprir se prima non perdevemo la tramontana. Notando che in questo logo atrovassemo la note hore 13 el zorno 11, essendo nei primi zorni de luio, salvo el vero a di 1 del dito mese’.
  • Crone , G.R. 1966 . Le navigazioni atlantiche del Veneziano Alvise Da Mosto 61 – 61 . Rome and Gasparrini Leporace (footnote 1), 284.
  • The missing drawing is the subject of a paper by Mauro Allessandra O “Carro do austro” de Alvise Da Ca'da Mosto: Observacoes astronomicas e fortuna editorial Revista da Universidade de Coimbra 1988 34 463 475 Also published as Separata 210 of Centro Estudos de historia e cartografia antiga (Lisbon, 1988), 1–15. See also the discussion of Gasparrini Leporace (footnote 1), XVI.
  • Schematically the configuration of Ursa Major compares well with the drawing. At places with geographical latitudes smaller than about 50° Ursa Major is seen in upper culmination due north (as shown in Figure 1). Leporace Gasparrini Le navigazioni atlantiche del Veneziano Alvise Da Mosto Rome 1966 does not exclude the possibility that the manuscript had been composed after Da Mosto returned to Venice (latitude 45·5°).
  • Bensaude , J. 1967 . L'astronomique nautique au Portugal a l'époque des grandes découvertes 252 – 254 . Amsterdam
  • Bensaude , J. 1967 . L'astronomique nautique au Portugal a l'époque des grandes découvertes 254 – 254 . Amsterdam tornando Senor al proposito estas guardas nunca se esconden antes syenpre andan en deredor sobre el orizonte, e aun esto dudoso que non se qual de aquellas dos mas baxas sea el polo antartyco, e estas estrellas principalmente las de la crus son grandes casy como las del carro, e la estrella del polo antartyco, o sul es pequena como la del norte e [es] muy clara, e la estrella que esta en riba de toda la crus es mucho pequena
  • Pohl , F.J. 1945 . Amerigo Vespucci Pilot Major 62 – 68 . New York
  • Knobel , E.B. 1917 . On Frederick de Houtman's Catalogue of the Southern Stars . Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society , 77 : 415 – 415 .
  • Warner , D.J. 1979 . The Sky Explored: Celestial Cartography 1500–1800 255 – 255 . New York, Amsterdam
  • Houzeau J.C. Le ciel austral et les premiers navigateurs des mers du Sud Ciel et Terre 1885–86 I 481 486 second series See also D. J. Warner (footnote 10), 255.
  • The Seville letter and other Vespucci documents have been reproduced by Pozzo Mario Il mondo nuovo di Amerigo Vespucci Milan 1984 53 73 in (p. 59): lo, come desideroso, d'esser l'altore che segnassi la stella del firmamento de l'altro polo, perde molte volte il sonno della notte in contemplare el movimente delle stelle de l'altro polo, per segnare quale d'esse tenesse minore movimento e quale fusse più presso al firmamento; né potetti, con quante male notte io ebbi e con quanti strumenti io usai, che fu el quadrante e lo astrolabio e altre cose per segnare stelle, segnar stella che tenessi meno che 10 gradi di movimento a l'intorno del firmamento. The translation is from F. J. Pohl (footnote 8), 79.
  • Pohl , F.J. 1945 . Amerigo Vespucci Pilot Major 79 – 79 . New York M. Pozzo (footnote 12), 60: e non mi diffido fino a qui che quello che dice non salga verita, perché io notai quatro stelle figurate com'una màndola, che tenevano poco movimento.
  • Pohl , F.J. 1945 . Amerigo Vespucci Pilot Major 79 – 79 . New York M. Pozzo (footnote 12), 60.
  • Ramusio , G.B. 1550 . Delle navigazione e viaggi Venice The text concerned is reproduced in M. Pozzo (footnote 12), 108–12 (p. 111).
  • Pozzo , M. 1984 . Il mondo nuovo di Amerigo Vespucci 111 – 111 . Milan ma quelle che lo circondano sono quattro, che hanno forma di quadrangolo (followed by a figure).
  • Houzeau , J.C. 1885–86 . Le ciel austral et les premiers navigateurs des mers du Sud . Ciel et Terre , I : 482 – 482 . ‘Le quatre étoiles dont il s'agit sont évidemment zêta [ζ], êta [η], kappa [κ] and sigma [σ] Octantis, trois d'entre elles étant alors à 3° du pole, et la quatrième (êta) a 4° environ’. Houzeau seems to have readjusted the position of the South Pole for the epoch 1500 in the wrong direction for the stars he proposes did not then encompass the antarctic pole but were situated at one and the same side of the pole with distances of 2° till 7° from it.
  • Allen , Richard Hinckley . 1963 . Star Names: Their Lore and Meaning 187 – 187 . New York appears to quote from the Seville letter, which was published in 1745 by A. M. Bandini. Allen describes the form of the four stars as of a ‘mandorla’ and assumes this to be the name used by Vespucci for the Southern Cross. In the text reproduced by M. Pozzo (footnote 13) the form of the four stars is described as a ‘màndola’. Allesandro Mauro (footnote 4) 472 also identifies the four stars with the Southern Cross.
  • Pohl , F.J. 1945 . Amerigo Vespucci Pilot Major 80 – 80 . New York M. Pozzo (footnote 12), 60.
  • Pohl , F.J. 1945 . Amerigo Vespucci Pilot Major 130 – 136 . New York and M. Pozzo (footnote 12), 77–85
  • Pohl , F.J. 1945 . Amerigo Vespucci Pilot Major 131 – 131 . New York M. Pozzo (footnote 12), 78:…, tanto che 'l polo de meridiano stava alto del mio orizonte 50 gradi e altretanto era la mia latitudine della linea equinoziale, che navicamo 9 mesi e 27 dì che mai vedemo el polo artico né meno l'Orsa Magiore e Minore.
  • Pohl , F.J. 1945 . Amerigo Vespucci Pilot Major 131 – 131 . New York M. Pozzo (footnote 12), 78: E per oposito mi si discopersono dalla parte del meridiano infiniti corpi di stelle molto chiare e belle.
  • Pohl , F.J. 1945 . Amerigo Vespucci Pilot Major 131 – 131 . New York M. Pozzo (footnote 12), 78: …dove notai el maraviglioso artifico de' loro movimenti e di loro grandeze, pigliando el diametro di loro circuli e figurandole con figure geometriche. E altri molti movimenti de' cieli notai, la qual sarebe cosa prolisa scrivelli.
  • Warner , D.J. 1979 . The Sky Explored: Celestial Cartography 1500–1800 255 – 255 . New York, Amsterdam
  • Pohl , F.J. 1945 . Amerigo Vespucci Pilot Major 131 – 131 . New York M. Pozzo (footnote 12), 78: Ma di tute le cose più notabili che in questo viaggio m'ocorse in una mia operetta l'ho racolte, perché quando starò di riposa mi possa in esso ocupare per lasciare di me dopo la morte qualche fama. Stavo in proposito di mandarvene un sunto, ma me la tiene questo S. Re; ritornandomela, si farà.
  • Pohl , F.J. 1945 . Amerigo Vespucci Pilot Major New York 227 note 6.
  • The text of the rare Mundus Novus (1503/1504) is reproduced in Pozzo M. Il mondo nuovo di Amerigo Vespucci Milan 1984 88 121
  • Pozzo , M. 1984 . Il mondo nuovo di Amerigo Vespucci 108 – 112 . Milan Celum speciosissimis signis et figuris ornatum est, in quo annotavi stellas circiter viginti tante claritatis quante aliquando vidimus Venerem et Iovem. Harum et motus et circuitiones consideravi earumque peripherias et diametros geometricis methodis dimensus fui easque maioris magnitudinis esse deprehenci. Vidi in eo celo tres canopos, duos quidem claros, tertium obscurum. Polus antarticus non est cum Ursa Maiore et Minore, ut hic noster videtur articus, nec iuxta cum [eo?] conspicitur aliqua clara stella et ex hiis que circum eum breviore circuitu feruntur tres sunt habentes trigoni orthogoni schema, quarum dimidia peripherie diametrus gradus habet novem semis. Cum hiis orientibus a leva conspicitur unus canopus albus eximie magnitudinis, que cum ad medium celum perveniunt hanc habent figuram. Post has veniunt alie due, quarum dimidia peripherie diametrus gradus habet duodecim semis et cum eis conspicitur alius canopus albus. Hiis succedunt alie sex stelle formosissime et clarissime inter omnes alias octave sphere, que in firmamenti superficie dimidian habent peripherie diametrum graduum triginta duorum. Cum hiis pervolat unus canopus niger immense magnitudinis. Conspiciuntur in Via Lactea et huiusmodi figuram habent quando sunt in meridionali linea.
  • da Montalboddo , Francanzio . 1507 . Paesi novamente retrovati e novo mondo da Alberico Vespuzio florentino intitulato Milan unpaginated; the second edition of 1508 is reproduced as Vespucci Reprints, Texts and Studies (Princeton, 1916), vi; the third edition was printed in Milan in 1512. See also G. B. Ramusio (footnote 15)
  • 1515 . Sensuyt le nouveau monde Paris reproduced as Vespucci Reprints, Texts and Studies (Princeton, 1916), vii, 157; D. J. Warner (footnote 10), 255 quotes from Richard Eden's The decades of the newe world, or West India (London, 1555). The Dutch translation of S. Grynaeus, Novus Orbis Regionum ac insularum veteribus incognitarum … (Basel, 1532), appeared as Die nieuwe Werelt (Antwerp, 1563).
  • In M. Pozzo's reproduction of the Mundus Novus (see Il mondo nuovo di Amerigo Vespucci Milan 1984 186 186 ‘canopo’ is explained as ‘“stella di prima grandezza” (originariamente quella della costalazione di Argo)’.
  • Jones , Kenneth Glyn . 1975 . The Search for Nebulae 47 – 47 . Cambridge
  • Of the naming after Allen Magellan R.H. Star Names: Their Lore and Meaning New York 1963 294 294 remarks that this happened after Magellan fully described the clouds. I presume Allen refers here to a description of Pigafetta. That description however is far from correct. See Antonio Pigafetta, Magellan's Voyage: A narrative Account of the first Circumnavigation. Translated and edited by R. A. Skelton (New Haven and London, 1969), Chapter 13. J. C. Houzeau (footnote 11), 484, is of the opinion that the clouds were presented under the name of Magellan by the Portuguese officer Nuno de Sylva to the participants of Drake's voyage in 1578. All sources studied in this paper refer only to the (Large and Small) Clouds. I suspect the naming after Magellan became popular in the seventeenth century.
  • I thank Dr. R. van Gent for drawing my attention to Ideler's result in von Humboldt A. Examen Critique Paris 1839 V 225 229
  • von Humboldt , A. 1837 . Examen Critique Vol. IV , 316 – 319 . Paris The remarks made by Allen (footnote 18) p. 190 on the Coalsack Nebula derive from this source.
  • D'Anghera , Peter Martyr . 1970 . De Orbe Novo Vol. I , 159 – 159 . New York translated in English by F. A. MacNutt in 1912, reprinted
  • D'Anghera , Peter Martyr . 1972 . De Orbe Novo Vol. I , 108 – 108 . Darmstadt translated in German by H. Klingelhöfer
  • Macnutt , F.A. 1970 . De Orbe Novo Vol. I , 294 – 294 . New York translated in English by F. A. MacNutt in 1912, reprinted
  • Antonio Pigafetta in his report of Magellan's voyage around the world also mentions two stars in the middle of the two (Magellanic) clouds he describes. Pigafetta however wrongly claims that the Antarctic Pole coincides with these two stars. See Pigafetta A. Magellan's Voyage: A narrative Account of the first Circumnavigation New Haven and London 1969 Translated and edited by R. A. Skelton Chapter 13
  • Houzeau J.C. Le ciel austral et les premiers navigateurs des mers du Sud Ciel et Terre 1885–86 482 482 second series Owing to his erroneous readjustment of the South Pole Houzeau found these stars at a distance of 9·5° from the pole instead of 12·5°.
  • Houzeau J.C. Le ciel austral et les premiers navigateurs des mers du Sud Ciel et Terre 1885–86 482 482 second series M. Pozzo (footnote 12), 111.
  • de Albuquerque , Luis . 1981 . O “tradado da agulha de marear” de João de Lisboa; reconstituição do seu texto, sequida de uma versão francesa com anotações . Revista da Universada de Coimbra , 29 : 29 – 62 . (pp. 143, 155). Also published as Separata CL of Agrupamento de Estudos de cartografia antiga (Coimbra, 1982), 1–36 (pp. 17 and 29): ‘Saberás que neste Cruzeiro do Sul andam cinco estrelas, as quatro delas são grandes, da segunda grandeze, e uma da quinta grandeza; esta é mortificada em respeito das outras’. The edition by Luis de Albuquerque is without the drawings. For the latter, see J. I. de Brito Rebello, Livro de Marinharia, Tratado de agulha de marear de João de Lisboa (Lisbon, 1903), pp. 39–40.
  • de Albuquerque , Luis . 1981 . O “tradado da agulha de marear” de João de Lisboa; reconstituição do seu texto, sequida de uma versão francesa com anotações . Revista da Universada de Coimbra , 29 : 144 – 144 . and 157: ‘[e] então [é] muito melhor tomar a estrela, por ser bem grande e clara. A qual tem de declinção do pólo do mundo 30 graus, como dito é. E a estrela da cabeça, se a quizeres tomar, também a podes tomar, [e o mesmo das dos braços], sabendo dos seus movimentos circulares, a saber: a da cabeça tem de afastamento 35 graus, e as dos braços, a de leste tem 34 graus, e a de oeste tem de afastamento 33 graus; e isto se entende do polo do mundo austral’.
  • de Albuquerque , Luis . 1981 . O “tradado da agulha de marear” de João de Lisboa; reconstituição do seu texto, sequida de uma versão francesa com anotações . Revista da Universada de Coimbra , 29 : 143 – 143 . and 155: […] determinei fazer declaração sobre o Cruzero, por ser [o] mais claro sinai de que todos têm conhecimento; o quai por muitas vezes Pêro Anes, […] e eu experimentámos muitas vezes com o norte, e [os] achámos, estando em parte que bem viamos ambos os ditos sinais, em uma com os pólos do mundo, isto por uma algulha, estando em Cochim.
  • de Albuquerque , Luis . 1981 . O “tradado da agulha de marear” de João de Lisboa; reconstituição do seu texto, sequida de uma versão francesa com anotações . Revista da Universada de Coimbra , 29 : 155 – 155 . identifies the ‘signal du Nord’ with α Ursa Minoris whose right ascension at that time was about 4°. Since this star at the geographical latitude of 10° is circumpolar it would have been seen due north in lower culmination at 7° while α Cruxis, with a right ascension of 180°, reached its upper culmination at 20° due south. One can wonder whether α Ursa Minoris was clearly visible at the time. If not, one might identify the ‘signal du Nord’ with the stars α, β, γ, and δ Ursa Majoris which more or less simultaneously culminate with the ‘signal du Sud’ and which like the Southern Cross stars are at a distance of about 30° from the pole, that is the North Pole of course.
  • de Albuquerque , Luis . 1981 . O “tradado da agulha de marear” de João de Lisboa; reconstituição do seu texto, sequida de uma versão francesa com anotações . Revista da Universada de Coimbra , 29 : 151 – 151 .
  • Bensaude , J. 1967 . L'astronomique nautique au Portugal a l'époque des grandes découvertes 147 – 147 . Amsterdam Pedro de Medina, Arte de Navegar (Cordova, 1545), Libro quinto, fol 78v–79v.
  • 1516 . Lettera di Andreas Corsali allo Illustrissimo Signore Duca Juliano de Medici Florence
  • 1516 . Lettera di Andreas Corsali allo Illustrissimo Signore Duca Juliano de Medici 1 – 1 . Florence Evidente lomanifestano due nugolette di ragionevole grandeza, che intorno a esse continue hora abassandosi hora inalzandosi in moto circulare caminano con una stella sepre in mezo: laquale co esse sivolge dal polo circa. xi gradi.
  • The map is described by A. Mauro (footnote 4), 14. See also di Dino Pietro Lettera del primo gennaio 1519 Raccolta di documenti e studi publicati dalla R. Commisione Colombiana pel Quarto Centenario della Scoperta dell' America Rome 1893 II in Parte III
  • Mauro , A. 1988 . O “Carro do austro” de Alvise Da Ca'da Mosto: Observacoes astronomicas e fortuna editorial . Revista da Universidade de Coimbra , 34 : 14 – 14 .
  • da Montalboddo , Fracanzio . 1507 . Paesi novamente retrovati e novo mondo da Alberico Vespuzio florentino intitulato Milan
  • For the discussion of the relation between this manuscript and the Paesi novamente see O “Carro do austro” de Alvise Da Ca'da Mosto: Observacoes astronomicas e fortuna editorial Revista da Universidade de Coimbra 1988 34
  • 1508 . Itinerarium Portugallensium e Lusitania in India et inde in occidentum ad Aquilonem Milan see also A. Mauro (footnote 4), 8
  • Grynaeus , S. 1532 . Nows Orbis Regionum ac insularum veteribus incognitarum … 39 – 39 . Basel
  • Mauro , A. 1988 . O “Carro do austro” de Alvise Da Ca'da Mosto: Observacoes astronomicas e fortuna editorial . Revista da Universidade de Coimbra , 34 : 465 – 465 . and G. B. Ramusio, Delle navigationi et viaggi, 3 vols (Venice, 1563–1606). Reproduced in facsimile with an introduction by R. A. Skelton and an analysis of the contents by G. B. Parks (Amsterdam, 1967–70), I, 107, 131 and 132.
  • de Medina , Pedro . 1545 . Arte de Navegar 78v – 78v . Cordova
  • Ramusio , G.B. 1563–1606 . Delle navigationi et viaggi Vol. 3 , 177 – 178 . Venice
  • Warner , D.J. 1979 . The Sky Explored: Celestial Cartography 1500–1800 259 – 259 . New York, Amsterdam I gratefully acknowledge Debby Warner's readiness to provide me with a copy of Volpaia's map.
  • A description of the globe by Van Langren is given by Warner D.J. The Sky Explored: Celestial Cartography 1500–1800 New York, Amsterdam 1979 201 201
  • de Houtman , Cornelis . 1594–95 . Corte verklaringe per Cornelis de Houtman van den landen genaemt Oost-Indien ofte conquisten van Portugal manuscript in the Rijksmuseum Nederlands Scheepvaart Museum Amsterdam, registered as Cat A IV-2.
  • Blundeville , M. 1594 . His Exercises containing Sixe Treatises London Published in facsimile in The English Experience (Amsterdam, 1971), pp. 271–3.
  • Pigafetta A. Magellan's Voyage: A narrative Account of the first Circumnavigation New Haven and London1969 Translated and edited by R. A. Skelton Chapter 13.
  • Blundeville , M. 1594 . His Exercises containing Sixe Treatises 342 – 342 . London
  • Hood , Thomas . 1590 . The Use of the Celestial Globe in Plano fol. 17v – fol. 17v . London I am grateful to Stephen Johnston of the Science Museum for drawing my attention to Hood's remarks on the Southern Cross.
  • The map by T. Hood is reproduced by Warner D.J. The Sky Explored: Celestial Cartography 1500–1800 New York, Amsterdam 1979 129 129
  • Hood , T. 1592 . The Use of both the Globes Celestial and Terrestrial B7v – 8r . London
  • Warner , D.J. 1979 . The Sky Explored: Celestial Cartography 1500–1800 189 – 189 . New York, Amsterdam
  • Dekker , E. 1987 . Early Explorations of the Southern Celestial Sky . Annals of Science , 44 : 439 – 470 . Peter van der Krogt, ‘The Globe-gores in the Nicolai-collection (Stuttgart), Der Globusfreund, nos 33/34 (1985), 99–116, no. 24.
  • de Medina , Pedro . 1545 . Arte de Navegar 78v – 78v . Cordova clearly states: ‘Estas estrellas no son ninguno delos signos del zodiaco, ni delas otras treynta y seys ymagines del cielo’. The use of individual classical stars for navigation purposes in the sixteenth century has been discussed by Luis de Albuquerque: Sobre a observação de estrelas na náutica dos descobrimentos, in Actas di V Coloquio Internacional do Estudos Luso-Brasileiros (Coimbra, 1963) II, 103–47. Also published as Separata VII of Agrupamento de Estudos de cartografia antiga (Coimbra, 1965). Among the few southern stars mentioned are: Canopus and Achernar (incorrectly identified as α Eridani by Luis de Albuquerque) but neither have been identified or indicated by the navigators. In a list of reference stars from a manuscript published by Luis de Albuquerque α and β Centauri are also mentioned. The declination of the former given in this list is off by 10°. Also the right ascension of this star, as indicated by the hour of culmination, appears to be at fault. This list of stars seems to derive from classical sources and no reference is found to observations by navigators.
  • Bayer , Johannes . 1603 . Uranometria… Augsburg and Johannes Kepler, ‘Tabulae Rudolphinae…(1627) in Gesammelte Werke, 19 vols (Munich, 1937–75), x, 138–41.
  • Dekker , E. 1987 . On the Dispersal of Knowledge of the Southern Celestial Sky . Der Globusfreund , : 211 – 230 .
  • Frederick and Houtman . 1603 . Spraek ende woord-boeck, inde Maleysche ende Madagaskarsche talen … Amsterdam see also E. Dekker (footnote 70), 445–8.
  • Dekker , E. 1987 . On the Dispersal of Knowledge of the Southern Celestial Sky . Der Globusfreund , : 214 – 214 .
  • Halley's Catalogus stellarum australium of 1679 was reprinted by Baily F. The Catalogues of Ptolemy, Ulugh Beigh, Tycho Brahe, Halley, Hevelius, … Memoirs of the Royal Astronomical Society 1843 13 167 181

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