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[J. Heweliusz] Johannes Hevelius [Jan Heweliusz] (1611-1687)

This famous Polish astronomer (possibly of German origin) constructed telescopes and other instruments (including pendulum clock and micrometric screw), founded modern selenography, discovered and observed many comets, observed sunspots, planets and their satellites, and variable stars, as well as compiled a large star atlas with seven new constellations. Member of London Royal Society since 1664.

His main achievements:

1640:
Constructed a large astronomical observatory in Gdansk, called by him "Stellaeburgum," i.e. "Startown." Most of the instruments were designed and built by him.
1644:
Observed for the first time the phases of Mercury [PL only], what constituted a confirmation of heliocentric system of Copernicus.
1647:
Published the work "Selenographia: sive, Lunae Descriptio," with detailed maps of the Moon [PL only], containing many new names of its surface objects, in large part still in use. His maps for more than 100 years were considered the best maps of the Moon [PL only]. They contained, for the first time, details of the limb of the Lunar farside, amenable to observation only at some times thanks to the so-called (optical) librations of the Moon [PL only].
1668:
Published the work "Cometographia: totam naturam cometarum," with descriptions and history of observations of many comets [PL only] (at least four of which were discovered by him), including the important observation that some comets move along parabolic orbits.
1673:
Published the first part of the work "Machina coelestis," presenting history of astronomy and description of his observatory in Gdansk (including the 50 meter long telescope build by him - it was then the largest in the world). One of the engravings depicts also his second wife, Elizabeth Corpman [Koopman], who often assisted him during astronomical observations.
1679:
Published the second part of the work "Machina coelestis," describing his astronomical observations. He dedicated the book to the King Jan III Sobieski [PL only] of Poland, who sponsored Hevelius' work with regular pension.
1690:
Posthumous publication of his greatest work "Prodromus Astronomiae", containing precise atlas of the sky called "Firmamentum Sobiescianum sive Uranographia." It listed positions of 1564 stars and portrayed seven new constellations, namely Shield of Sobieski [Scutum Sobiescianum] [PL only] (simplified in 1922 to just Shield [Scutum] by IAU), and Hunting Dogs [Canes Venatici], Lizard [Lacerta], Lesser Lion [Leo Minor], Lynx, Sextant [Sextans], and Fox [Vulpecula].
A fragment of the page from the Hevelius' star atlas "Firmamentum Sobiescianum" depicting the Shield of Sobieski [Scutum Sobiescianum] constellation.
The full page from the atlas contains also neighbouring constellations, including the no longer existing constellation Antinous, as well as a dedication to the king Jan III Sobieski [PL only].

[Source: Brera Astronomical Observatory in Mediolan.]

Biographical notes, usually rather short, on Hevelius' life and work can be found in many places on the Web. As the most interesting, one may recommend the biography with a description of Hevelius epitaph [PL only] in the church of St. Catherine in Gdansk.
Named after Hevelius were [PL only]:
and after his wife, Elizabeth Corpman [PL only]:
[ZK]

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Last update: 30.IX.2002