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Epitome Astronomiae, qua brevi explicatione omnia, tam ad Sphaericam quam Theoricam eius partem pertinentia, ex ipsius scientiae fontibus deducta, perspicue per quaestiones traduntur...

Epitome Astronomiae, qua brevi explicatione omnia, tam ad Sphaericam quam Theoricam eius partem pertinentia, ex ipsius scientiae fontibus deducta, perspicue per quaestiones traduntur...

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Epitome Astronomiae, qua brevi explicatione omnia, tam ad Sphaericam quam Theoricam eius partem pertinentia, ex ipsius scientiae fontibus deducta, perspicue per quaestiones traduntur...

by [KEPLER]. II - MAESTLIN, Michael

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About This Item

Heidelberg, Jacobus Milius, 1582.

(17) ll., (1) bl. l., 495 pp., (1) p. and 6 folding plates.

[Preceded by:]

I - Peucer, Caspar. Elementa doctrinae de Circulis coelestibus et primo motu, recognita et correcta.

Wittenb., Joh. Crato, 1576.

(8) ll., 304 pp. (gap in the pagination without loss), 8 folding plates.

Two astronomical works bound in one volume 8vo [155 x 98 mm], full overlapping ivory vellum, remains of ties, flat spine contemporary painted with the author's name, title and library marks handwritten in black ink, sprinkled edges. Contemporary binding.

II/ Precious and extremely rare first edition of the "Epitome Astronomiae", the major work of Joannes Kepler's (1571-1630) master, the astronomer Michael Maestlin (1550-1631).

Caspar, Kepler S. 4/; Houzeau/L. 2747; Zinner 3041; vgl. Admas M 85 ff u. STC 585.

"Michael Maestlin (also called Mästlin, Möstlin or Moestlin), was born on September 30th 1550 in Göppingen in Bade-Württemberg and died on October 20th 1631 in Tübingen. He was a German astronomer and a mathematician, known to be Johannes Kepler's mentor."

Maestlin studied theology, mathematics and astronomy at the Tübinger Stift in Tübingen, a town of Württemberg. He obtained his master's degree in 1571 and became a Lutheran deacon in 1576 in Backnang while he was continuing his studies in this town. In 1580, he became a math teacher at the University of Heidelberg, then at the one of Tübingen in 1583 until he passed away.

In 1582 he publishes his famous "Epitome astronomiae", a true popular introduction to astronomy which influenced Kepler so much, who was his student at that time.

"Johannes Kepler… absolvierte zwar in Tübingen die Theologie, fand aber an den astronomischen Vorlesungen von Michael Mästlin (Göppingen 1550 – Tübingen 1631 ; Prof. math. Heidelberg u. Tübingen) mehr Geschmack als an der damaligen Orthodoxie (Wolf i, 24)."

Kepler joined the University of Tübingen in 1589, where he received a complete training. "His professor of astronomy, Michael Mästlin, teaches him the Copernican system, of which he is a careful advocate."

Kepler who became, thanks to Maestlin, a convinced supporter of heliocentrism, explains in a first work, the Prodomus... mysterium cosmographicum published in 1596, why according to him Ptolemy's system has to give up his place to the Copernican representation of the world. Though, haunted by Pythagorean ideas, he believes the Universe is built on a geometric architecture. Here is why he elaborates an ingenious geometric model of the Copernican system, in which the orbit of each planet occupies a sphere limited to a regular polyhedron and included in another one. Actually, he has the conviction that the number of planets, their distance to the Sun and their revolution speeds are not just a coincidence. A systematic study of the planet Mars motion, after laborious calculations he controls thanks to precise observations made by Tycho Brahe, leads him to give up the hypothesis of a circular motion – admitted since Aristotle – in favor of an elliptic orbit. This work leads Kepler to the discovery of the first two laws which will immortalize his name. He publishes them in 1609 in his Astronomia nova. The first one states that each planet follows in the direct sense an ellipse center of which the Sun stands in the center; the second one that areas described by the ray vector from the center of the planet towards the center of the Sun are proportional to the time used to describe them.

Kepler endeavors to demonstrate the existence of a harmonic relation between the fastest and the slowest speed of planets. Thus he discovers the third fundamental law of planet motion that he publishes in 1619 in his Harmonices mundi: the squares of periods of planet revolutions are proportional to the cubes of the great axes of their orbits.

This first edition is illustrated with many astronomical and mathematical woodcuts including one with mobile parts.

I / At the beginning of the volume the rare edition of Caspar Peucer: "Elementa doctrinae de Circulis coelestibus et primo motu" was contemporary bound.

I. Houzeau / L. 2556; Zinner 2743; vgl. Adams P 936 u. STC 689.

"It is the first work of some value written in the spirit of Copernicus. Works by Peucer were reported on the Index Librorum Prohibitorum " (H.L.)

Caspar Peucer (1525-1602), an astronomer and a mathematician, was friend with Melanchton.

The "Elementa doctrinae de circulis coelestibus" are his main contribution to the evolution of astronomical science.

"This work which was very popular is written after Copernicus principles."

It is illustrated with many astronomical woodcuts with mobile parts.

A superb copy gathering two very rare and major astronomical texts, very well preserved in its contemporary overlapping vellum.

Outside Germany, we were able to locate only two copies of the rare first edition of Maestlin's text in the world: Edinburgh University Library and Adler Planetarium in the United States.


FRENCH

Heidelberg, Jacobus Milius, 1582.

(17) ff., (1) f.bl., 495 pp., (1) p. et 6 planches dépliantes.

[Précédé de :]

I - Peucer, Caspar. Elementa doctrinae de Circulis coelestibus et primo motu, recognita et correcta.

Wittenb., Joh. Crato, 1576.

(8) ff., 304 pp. (saut dans la pagination sans manque), 8 planches dépliantes.

Soit deux ouvrages d'astronomie reliés en 1 volume in-8, plein vélin ivoire à recouvrement, traces de liens, dos lisse peint à l'époque avec auteur, titre et marques de bibliothèque calligraphiés à l'encre noire, tranches jaspées. Reliure de l'époque.

155 x 98 mm.

II/ Précieuse et rarissime édition originale de " l'Epitome Astronomiae ", l'œuvre majeure du maître de Johannes Kepler (1571-1630), l'astronome Michael Maestlin (1550-1631).

Caspar, Kepler S. 4/ ; Houzeau/L. 2747 ; Zinner 3041 ; vgl. Admas M 85 ff u. STC 585.

" Michael Maestlin (aussi appelé Mästlin, Möstlin ou Moestlin), né le 30 septembre 1550 à Göppingen en Bade-Wurtemberg, mort le 20 octobre 1631 à Tübingen, est un astronome et mathématicien allemand, connu pour être le mentor de Johannes Kepler ".

Maestlin a étudié la théologie, les mathématiques et l'astronomie au Tübinger Stift à Tübingen, une ville du Wurtemberg. Il a obtenu la maîtrise en 1571 et est devenu en 1576 un diacre luthérien à Backnang, tout en continuant ses études dans cette ville. En 1580, il est devenu professeur de mathématiques à l'université d'Heidelberg, puis à celle de Tübingen de 1583 jusqu'à sa mort.

C'est en 1582 qu'il publie son fameux " Epitome astronomiae ", véritable introduction populaire à l'astronomie qui influença tant Kepler, alors son étudiant.

" Johannes Kepler… absolvierte zwar in Tübingen die Theologie, fand aber an den astronomischen Vorlesungen von Michael Mästlin (Göppingen 1550 – Tübingen 1631 ; Prof. math. Heidelberg u. Tübingen) mehr Geschmack als an der damaligen Orthodoxie (Wolf i, 24).

Kepler rejoint en 1589 l'université de Tübingen, où il reçoit une formation très complète. " Son professeur d'astronomie, Michael Mästlin, lui enseigne le système de Copernic, dont il est un prudent défenseur. "

Devenu grâce à Maestlin un partisan convaincu de l'héliocentrisme, Kepler explique dans un premier ouvrage, le Prodomus... mysterium cosmographicum, publié en 1596, pourquoi le système de Ptolémée doit, selon lui, céder la place à la représentation copernicienne du monde. Mais, hanté par les idées pythagoriciennes, il croit l'Univers construit selon une architecture géométrique. Aussi élabore-t-il un ingénieux modèle géométrique du système de Copernic, dans lequel l'orbe de chaque planète occupe une sphère circonscrite à un polyèdre régulier et inscrite dans un autre. En fait, il a la conviction que le nombre de planètes, leurs distances au Soleil et leurs vitesses de révolution ne sont pas le fruit du hasard. Une étude systématique du mouvement de la planète Mars, après de laborieux calculs qu'il contrôle grâce aux observations précises de Tycho Brahe, le conduit à renoncer à l'hypothèse d'un mouvement circulaire – admise depuis Aristote- au profit d'une orbite elliptique. Ce travail amène Kepler à la découverte des deux premières lois qui vont immortaliser son nom. Il les publie en 1609 dans son Astronomia nova. La première énonce que chaque planète décrit dans le sens direct une ellipse dont le Soleil occupe un des foyers ; la seconde que les aires décrites par le rayon vecteur allant du centre de la planète au centre du Soleil sont proportionnelles aux temps employés à les décrire. Kepler s'efforce ensuite de démontrer l'existence d'un rapport harmonique entre la plus grande et la plus petite vitesse des planètes. Il découvre ainsi la troisième loi fondamentale du mouvement des planètes, qu'il publie en 1619 dans son Harmonices mundi : les carrés des périodes de révolution des planètes sont proportionnels aux cubes des grands axes de leurs orbites.

Cette édition originale est ornée de nombreuses gravures sur bois astronomiques et mathématiques dont une avec des parties mobiles.

I / En tête du volume fut reliée à l'époque l'édition rare de Caspar Peucer : " Elementa doctrinae de Circulis coelestibus et primo motu ".

I. Houzeau / L. 2556 ; Zinner 2743 ; vgl. Adams P 936 u. STC 689.

" C'est le premier livre d'une certaine valeur écrit dans les idées de Copernic. Les ouvrages de Peucer sont inscrits à l'Index Librorum Prohibitorum " (H.L.)

Caspar Peucer (1525-1602), astronome et mathématicien, fut l'ami de Melanchton.

Les " Elementa doctrinae de circulis coelestibus " constituent sa principale contribution à l'évolution de la science astronomique.

" Cet ouvrage qui eut beaucoup de vogue dans le temps, est rédigé d'après les principes de Copernic ".

Il est orné de nombreuses figures astronomiques avec parties mobiles.

Superbe volume contenant deux textes astronomiques majeurs très rares, fort bien conservé dans son vélin à recouvrement de l'époque.

En dehors de l'Allemagne, nous n'avons pu localiser que deux exemplaires de la rare édition originale du texte de Maestlin dans le monde : Edinburgh University Library et Adler Planetarium aux Etats-Unis.

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Bookseller
LIBRAIRIE CAMILLE SOURGET FR (FR)
Bookseller's Inventory #
JUINBB09
Title
Epitome Astronomiae, qua brevi explicatione omnia, tam ad Sphaericam quam Theoricam eius partem pertinentia, ex ipsius scientiae fontibus deducta, perspicue per quaestiones traduntur...
Author
[KEPLER]. II - MAESTLIN, Michael
Book Condition
Used
Quantity Available
1
Binding
Hardcover
Weight
0.00 lbs

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LIBRAIRIE CAMILLE SOURGET

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