Description

The star maps below cover Hevelius's catalog in the equatorial and ecliptic coordinate systems corresponding to the catalog's equinox January 1st, 1661 (1660 Annum Completum) of the Gregorian calendar, or

Julian Day2,327,729
Besselian epochB1661.0043…
Julian epochJ1661.0102…

The ecliptic coordinate system uses the obliquity value computed for that epoch according to the IAU 2006 precession model, close to 23°29'00", which differs from Hevelius's value 23°30'20" used to compute the catalog's equatorial coordinates (according to Baily).

Catalog entries are represented according to Hevelius's ecliptic positions and magnitudes. Their representation and labeling and the other features of the maps are described on the historical catalogs page.

Stars without Hevelius ecliptic coordinates are not represented. Stars without magnitude have been assigned the arbitrary magnitude 6 and nebulous objects the magnitude 3 for the sake of representation. Magnitudes given as a range have been "interpolated by thirds" so that the range 3-4 corresponds to the value 3.33 and 4-3 to 3.66, for instance. I have ignored the other complications of Hevelius's magnitude values (such as the imò and ferè qualifiers described in the notes.dat file).

Hevelius's nebulous objects are

HNOHIDModern designation
32And32Andromeda galaxy M31
259Cnc 3Præsepe cluster M44
380Cap 5σ Cap
381Cap 6π Cap
382Cap 7ο Cap
794Her29z Her

The Capricornus and Hercules objects are in fact ordinary stars; their nebulous character has its origin in Tycho Brahe's catalog.

Maps by constellation

The maps are generally enumerated in the same order as the constellations in Hevelius's catalog, the alphabetical order (with Ophiuchus called Serpentarius). There are a few exceptions: Antinous is merged with Aquila, Cerberus is merged with Hercules, and Triangulum Minus is merged with Triangulum.

Andromeda
AND
Aquarius
AQR
Aquila & Antinous
AQL
Aries
ARI
Auriga
AUR
Boötes
BOO
Cancer
CNC
Canis Major
CMA
Canis Minor
CMI
Canes Venatici
CVN
Camelopardalis
CAM
Capricornus
CAP
Cassiopeia
CAS
Cepheus
CEP
Cetus
CET
Coma Berenices
COM
Corona
CRB
Corvus
CRV
Crater
CRT
Cygnus
CYG
Delphinus
DEL
Draco
DRA
Equuleus
EQU
Eridanus (North)
ERI_N
Gemini
GEM
Hercules & Cerberus
HER
Hydra (West)
HYA_W
Hydra (East)
HYA_E
Lacerta
LAC
Leo
LEO
Leo Minor
LMI
Lepus
LEP
Libra
LIB
Lynx
LYN
Lyra
LYR
Monoceros
MON
Navis (Puppis)
PUP
Orion
ORI
Pegasus
PEG
Perseus
PER
Pisces
PSC
Sagitta
SGE
Sagittarius
SGR
Scorpius
SCO
Scutum
SCT
Serpentarius
OPH
Serpens (Caput)
SER1
Serpens (Cauda)
SER2
Sextans
SEX
Taurus
TAU
Tri & Tri Minus
TRI
Virgo
VIR
Ursa Major
UMA
Ursa Minor
UMI
Vulpecula
VUL

Maps by hemisphere

The two maps below give an overall view of Hevelius's catalogs one hemisphere at a time.

They are centered on the equatorial poles of the B1875.0 coordinate system, the reference for constellation boundaries, and show the same contents as the maps by constellation.

Northern Hemisphere
NORTH
Southern Hemisphere
SOUTH

Acknowledgments.

  • This research has made use of the VizieR catalogue access tool, CDS, Strasbourg, France. The original description of the VizieR service was published in A&AS 143, 23.
  • This research has made use of the SIMBAD database, operated at CDS, Strasbourg, France.