BellaOnline Forums Education Astronomy Johannes Hevelius *new article*

Which 17th century brewer created ten new constellations? Johannes Hevelius, astronomer, civic leader, instrument-maker, writer, engraver and publisher. He died before finishing his great star atlas, so his wife Elisabetha - also an astronomer - finished the editing and oversaw its publication.

Johannes Hevelius

The fifth-smallest constellation in the sky was one introduced by Hevelius as Scutum Sobiescianum, Sobieski’s Shield. King John III Sobieski of Poland helped Hevelius rebuild his observatory after the disastrous fire in 1679.

Hevelius’s description and chart of the constellation first appeared in August 1684 in Acta Eruditorum, a leading scientific journal of the day. It is the only constellation introduced for political reasons that is still in use.

Here is Hevelius's drawing of Scutum Sobiescianum (Scutum).