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Astronomical compendium LJS 490
Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts
Manuscript Overview
References
Binding Images

Abstract

Collection of astronomical and astrological texts. Includes tables of solar declination (f. 13r), fixed stars (f. 22r), elevation of the pole star in various cities (f. 26r), new and full moons (f. 83r-84v), sightings and transits or eclipses of Venus and Mercury (f. 87r), and the position of the sun in the ecliptic (f. 87v); treatises on instruments, such as the astrolabe (f. 17r-22r, 29r-33v, 43r-49r, 50r-50v), the sundial (f. 23r-25v), the quadrant (f. 27r-28v, 78v), the Jacob's staff (baculus, f. 45r-49r, 79r, 91r), and the chilinder or traveler's dial (f. 77r-78v); treatises on other scientific subjects, such as practical geometry (f. 41r-42v), determination of the date of Easter (computus, f. 64v-67v, 70v-75r, 89r-90v), and analysis of urine (f. 68r-70r); digressions on the work of Johannes Sacrobosco (f. 35r-39r); and excerpts from the Compilatio de astrorum scientia of Leopold of Austria (f. 80r-81v). Cities in the Baden-Württemberg region of Germany are mentioned frequently, along with major cities in Europe, especially Italy.

Physical Description

Support: paper; Extent: 91 leaves : 213 x 145 (172 x 115) mm. bound to 217 x 158 mm; Collation: Paper, i (modern) + 91 + i (modern); 1¹⁶ 2-6¹² 7¹⁶(-1); [1-91], modern foliation in pencil, upper right recto. Earlier modern foliation in pencil suggests that gatherings are missing at the beginning (the manuscript's extant first folio is numbered 36); between the third and fourth gatherings (where the earlier modern foliation skips from 75 (f. 40) to 113 (f. 41)); and between the fourth and fifth gatherings (where the earlier modern foliation skips from 124 (f. 52) to 155 (f. 53).

Layout

Written in 33-35 long lines.

Script

Written in cursive Gothic script by multiple hands.

Decoration

Numerous diagrams (astronomical, f. 3r, 3v, 9v; related to sundials, f. 24v-25v; of quadrants, f. 62v, 63v; geometric, f. 41r-42v, 48r-48v, 51r-52v; astrological, f. 58r, 64r, 70v), mostly in ink, a few with red ink as well; rubrication and underlining in red and initials slashed with red in much of the manuscript (but not f. 26r-27v, 42v-52v, 63v-79v, 80v-91v); manicule (f. 10v).

For a full list of Decorations in this manuscript please see the Content and Decorations section by clicking on the [i] button in the top left corner of the image viewer above.

Notes

Ms. codex.

Title supplied by cataloger.

These are pages that we pulled aside that disrupted the flow of the manuscript reader. These may be bindings, inserts, bookmarks, and various other oddities.

Spine

Keywords
Anthology
15th century
Astronomy
Diagrams
Germany
German
Astrology
Paper
University of Pennsylvania, Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts

Place of Origin

Germany

Date

Written in the Baden-Württemberg region of Germany, possibly Heidelberg, ca. 1450 (f. 4v).

Binding

Modern quarter parchment with pasteboards.

Language

Latin, with some words in German (f. 54r, 55r, 89r)

Provenance

Sold by Sam Fogg Ltd. (London) to Lawrence J. Schoenberg, Jan. 2008.

Deposit by Lawrence J. Schoenberg and Barbara Brizdle, 2011.

return to search Astronomical compendium LJS 490

Place of Origin

Germany

Date

Written in the Baden-Württemberg region of Germany, possibly Heidelberg, ca. 1450 (f. 4v).

Language

Latin, with some words in German (f. 54r, 55r, 89r)

Provenance

Sold by Sam Fogg Ltd.

Deposit by Lawrence J. Schoenberg and Barbara Brizdle, 2011.

Manuscript Overview

Abstract

Collection of astronomical and astrological texts. Includes tables of solar declination (f. 13r), fixed stars (f. 22r), elevation of the pole star in various cities (f. 26r), new and full moons (f. 83r-84v), sightings and transits or eclipses of Venus and Mercury (f. 87r), and the position of the sun in the ecliptic (f. 87v); treatises on instruments, such as the astrolabe (f. 17r-22r, 29r-33v, 43r-49r, 50r-50v), the sundial (f. 23r-25v), the quadrant (f. 27r-28v, 78v), the Jacob's staff (baculus, f. 45r-49r, 79r, 91r), and the chilinder or traveler's dial (f. 77r-78v); treatises on other scientific subjects, such as practical geometry (f. 41r-42v), determination of the date of Easter (computus, f. 64v-67v, 70v-75r, 89r-90v), and analysis of urine (f. 68r-70r); digressions on the work of Johannes Sacrobosco (f. 35r-39r); and excerpts from the Compilatio de astrorum scientia of Leopold of Austria (f. 80r-81v). Cities in the Baden-Württemberg region of Germany are mentioned frequently, along with major cities in Europe, especially Italy.

Notes

Ms. codex.

Title supplied by cataloger.

Script note

Written in cursive Gothic script by multiple hands.

Decoration Note

Numerous diagrams (astronomical, f. 3r, 3v, 9v; related to sundials, f. 24v-25v; of quadrants, f. 62v, 63v; geometric, f. 41r-42v, 48r-48v, 51r-52v; astrological, f. 58r, 64r, 70v), mostly in ink, a few with red ink as well; rubrication and underlining in red and initials slashed with red in much of the manuscript (but not f. 26r-27v, 42v-52v, 63v-79v, 80v-91v); manicule (f. 10v).

For a full list of Decorations in this manuscript please see the Content and Decorations section by clicking on the [i] button in the top left corner of the image viewer above.

References
Binding Images

These are pages that we pulled aside that disrupted the flow of the manuscript reader. These may be bindings, inserts, bookmarks, and various other oddities.

Spine

Keywords
Anthology
15th century
Astronomy
Diagrams
Germany
German
Astrology
Paper
University of Pennsylvania, Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts
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