Horologium - Revision history

Sushoff at 12:25, 27 February 2026

2026-02-27T12:25:55Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:25, 27 February 2026
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	It is not known why Nicolas de Lacaille conceived this constellation in the sky. In any case, he brought it back from his expedition to South Africa in 1750-'54 and published it in 1756. Ian Ridpath<ref>Ian Ridpath, Star Tales, Online Edition, "Lacaille's Horologium": http://www.ianridpath.com/startales/horologiumlacaille.html</ref> <ref>Ian Ridpath, Star Tales, Online Edition, "Horologium":		It is not known why Nicolas de Lacaille conceived this constellation in the sky. In any case, he brought it back from his expedition to South Africa in 1750-'54 and published it in 1756. Ian Ridpath<ref>Ian Ridpath, Star Tales, Online Edition, "Lacaille's Horologium": http://www.ianridpath.com/startales/horologiumlacaille.html</ref> <ref>Ian Ridpath, Star Tales, Online Edition, "Horologium":

	http://www.ianridpath.com/startales/horologium.html</ref> believes that it is the pendulum clock in his South African observation station because Horologium is depicted next to Reticulum and therefore the two instruments belong together. With this interpretation, "Horologium" would be a ''Le Roy''-clock. There is nothing to be said against this idea, but in general Lacaille did not take care to ensure that neighbouring pictures were necessarily connected. Furthermore, the [[Reticulum]] (Net) is not really Lacaille's invention but a transformed take-over from the Strasbourg-mathematician Isaac Habrecht. Hence, there is ~~therefore~~ no strong argument in favour of this idea.		http://www.ianridpath.com/startales/horologium.html</ref> believes that it is the pendulum clock in his South African observation station because Horologium is depicted next to Reticulum and therefore the two instruments belong together. With this interpretation, "Horologium" would be a ''Le Roy''-clock. There is nothing to be said against this idea, but in general Lacaille did not take care to ensure that neighbouring pictures were necessarily connected. Furthermore, the [[Reticulum]] (Net) is not really Lacaille's invention but a transformed take-over from the Strasbourg mathematician Isaac Habrecht. Hence, there is no strong argument in favour of this idea.<ref>Hoffmann, Susanne M. Wie der Löwe an den Himmel kam. Franckh Kosmos Verlag, Stuttgart 2021</ref>

	Considering the historical period in which Lacaille lived, it might be equally obvious that the marine chronometer should be considered here. John Harrison, who is celebrated in today's popculture as ‘the solitary genius who solved one of the greatest problems of his time’, was the first person to win the English ‘Board of Longitude’ prize in 1737. This was the most important prize awarded by the English crown at the time, and was awarded in 1714 for the discovery of a method of determining longitude on the high seas. However, Harrison became posthumusly much more known than in his lifetime, and it is unknown whether Lacaille would have had the chance to know about the early etaps of his achievements: the final award was given to him only in 1773 (twenty years after Lacaille's stay in Cape Town). Lacaille could only have thought of the topic (or dream) of a high precision pendulum clock and not of a real piece. Hence, Geymeier and Hoffmann (2023)<ref>Geymeier, M. & Hoffmann, S.M. (2023): Das Sternbild Horologium im Kontext seiner Zeit, Codices Manuscripti & Impressi, Wien, 53-66</ref> conclude that this hyposthesis similarly vague as the above: "As he had never seen a Harrison clock, he could not have been depicted one, but at most a desire for such a precision instrument (and second pendulums are the most accurate he knew)."		Considering the historical period in which Lacaille lived, it might be equally obvious that the marine chronometer should be considered here. John Harrison, who is celebrated in today's popculture as ‘the solitary genius who solved one of the greatest problems of his time’, was the first person to win the English ‘Board of Longitude’ prize in 1737. This was the most important prize awarded by the English crown at the time, and was awarded in 1714 for the discovery of a method of determining longitude on the high seas. However, Harrison became posthumusly much more known than in his lifetime, and it is unknown whether Lacaille would have had the chance to know about the early etaps of his achievements: the final award was given to him only in 1773 (twenty years after Lacaille's stay in Cape Town). Lacaille could only have thought of the topic (or dream) of a high precision pendulum clock and not of a real piece. Hence, Geymeier and Hoffmann (2023)<ref>Geymeier, M. & Hoffmann, S.M. (2023): Das Sternbild Horologium im Kontext seiner Zeit, Codices Manuscripti & Impressi, Wien, 53-66</ref> conclude that this hyposthesis similarly vague as the above: "As he had never seen a Harrison clock, he could not have been depicted one, but at most a desire for such a precision instrument (and second pendulums are the most accurate he knew)."

Sushoff at 13:23, 20 January 2026

2026-01-20T13:23:38Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:23, 20 January 2026
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			Authors: {{PAGEAUTHORS}}
			----
	[[File:Horologium IAU.svg\|alt=star chart\|thumb\|Hor star chart. (IAU and Sky & Telescope magazine: Roger Sinnott & Rick Fienberg)]]		[[File:Horologium IAU.svg\|alt=star chart\|thumb\|Hor star chart. (IAU and Sky & Telescope magazine: Roger Sinnott & Rick Fienberg)]]
	One of the [[:Category:88_IAU-Constellations\|88 IAU constellations]]. It was invented by Lacaille and published in his 1756 report to the French Academy of Science, republished in 1763.		One of the [[:Category:88_IAU-Constellations\|88 IAU constellations]]. It was invented by Lacaille and published in his 1756 report to the French Academy of Science, republished in 1763.

Sushoff at 18:55, 26 January 2025

2025-01-26T18:55:22Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:55, 26 January 2025
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	File:Hor lacaillesmall.jpg\|Lacaille's Horologium (1763)		File:Hor lacaillesmall.jpg\|Lacaille's Horologium (1763)
	File:Hor bode1782 hi.jpg\|Horologium in Bode's "Anleitung zur Kenntniß des gestirnten Himmels" (1782).		File:Hor bode1782 hi.jpg\|Horologium in Bode's "Anleitung zur Kenntniß des gestirnten Himmels" (1782).
			File:Hor+Ret Fortin1795.jpg\|Horologium in Fortin's Atlas Céleste, 3rd edition (1795).
	File:Hor Goldbach1799 sw.jpg\|Goldbach's Horologium (1799) exactly reproduced from Lacaille.		File:Hor Goldbach1799 sw.jpg\|Goldbach's Horologium (1799) exactly reproduced from Lacaille.
	</gallery>		</gallery>

Sushoff: /* Etymology and History */ text proof added

2025-01-24T21:47:56Z

Etymology and History: text proof added

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:47, 24 January 2025
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	==Etymology and History==		==Etymology and History==
			[[File:Lacaille text newConst1756 hor.JPG\|alt=screenshot of text\|thumb\|Lacaille on Horologium (1756)]]
	In his first publication in 1756 Lacaille writes in French:		In his first publication in 1756 Lacaille writes in French:

Sushoff: /* Transfer and Transformation of the Constellation */

2025-01-24T21:33:22Z

Transfer and Transformation of the Constellation

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:33, 24 January 2025
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	<gallery>		<gallery>
	File:Hor lacaillesmall.jpg\|Lacaille's Horologium (1763)		File:Hor lacaillesmall.jpg\|Lacaille's Horologium (1763)
	File:Hor bode1782 hi.jpg\|Horologium in Bode's "Anleitung zur Kenntniß des gestirnten Himmels" (1782).		File:Hor bode1782 hi.jpg\|Horologium in Bode's "Anleitung zur Kenntniß des gestirnten Himmels" (1782).
	~~</gallery>[[~~File:Hor ~~lacaillesmall~~.jpg\|~~alt=image~~ from ~~hist. map\|thumb\|Horologium in~~ Lacaille~~'s first drawing of the newly invented constellation~~.]]		File:Hor Goldbach1799 sw.jpg\|Goldbach's Horologium (1799) exactly reproduced from Lacaille.
			</gallery>
	==Mythology==		==Mythology==
	There is no mythology except the above speculations about Lacaille's intensions.		There is no mythology except the above speculations about Lacaille's intensions.

Sushoff: /* Transfer and Transformation of the Constellation */

2025-01-24T21:32:43Z

Transfer and Transformation of the Constellation

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:32, 24 January 2025
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	===Transfer and Transformation of the Constellation===		===Transfer and Transformation of the Constellation===
	[[File:Hor lacaillesmall.jpg\|alt=image from hist. map\|thumb\|Horologium in Lacaille's first drawing of the newly invented constellation.]]		<gallery>
			File:Hor lacaillesmall.jpg\|Lacaille's Horologium (1763)
			File:Hor bode1782 hi.jpg\|Horologium in Bode's "Anleitung zur Kenntniß des gestirnten Himmels" (1782).
			</gallery>[[File:Hor lacaillesmall.jpg\|alt=image from hist. map\|thumb\|Horologium in Lacaille's first drawing of the newly invented constellation.]]

	==Mythology==		==Mythology==

Sushoff at 21:04, 24 January 2025

2025-01-24T21:04:55Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:04, 24 January 2025
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	One of the [[:Category:88_IAU-Constellations\|88 IAU constellations]].		[[File:Horologium IAU.svg\|alt=star chart\|thumb\|Hor star chart. (IAU and Sky & Telescope magazine: Roger Sinnott & Rick Fienberg)]]
			One of the [[:Category:88_IAU-Constellations\|88 IAU constellations]]. It was invented by Lacaille and published in his 1756 report to the French Academy of Science, republished in 1763.

	==Etymology and History==		==Etymology and History==
	~~The Greek constellation ...~~		In his first publication in 1756 Lacaille writes in French:

			* L’Horloge à pendule & à secondes (translated: the pendulum clock which is accurate to the second)

			He depicted an instrument with two pendulums (and not only one) suggesting that the high accuracy is achieved by the second pendulum for the seconds.

	===Origin of Constellation===		===Origin of Constellation===
			It is not known why Nicolas de Lacaille conceived this constellation in the sky. In any case, he brought it back from his expedition to South Africa in 1750-'54 and published it in 1756. Ian Ridpath<ref>Ian Ridpath, Star Tales, Online Edition, "Lacaille's Horologium": http://www.ianridpath.com/startales/horologiumlacaille.html</ref> <ref>Ian Ridpath, Star Tales, Online Edition, "Horologium":

			http://www.ianridpath.com/startales/horologium.html</ref> believes that it is the pendulum clock in his South African observation station because Horologium is depicted next to Reticulum and therefore the two instruments belong together. With this interpretation, "Horologium" would be a ''Le Roy''-clock. There is nothing to be said against this idea, but in general Lacaille did not take care to ensure that neighbouring pictures were necessarily connected. Furthermore, the [[Reticulum]] (Net) is not really Lacaille's invention but a transformed take-over from the Strasbourg-mathematician Isaac Habrecht. Hence, there is therefore no strong argument in favour of this idea.

			Considering the historical period in which Lacaille lived, it might be equally obvious that the marine chronometer should be considered here. John Harrison, who is celebrated in today's popculture as ‘the solitary genius who solved one of the greatest problems of his time’, was the first person to win the English ‘Board of Longitude’ prize in 1737. This was the most important prize awarded by the English crown at the time, and was awarded in 1714 for the discovery of a method of determining longitude on the high seas. However, Harrison became posthumusly much more known than in his lifetime, and it is unknown whether Lacaille would have had the chance to know about the early etaps of his achievements: the final award was given to him only in 1773 (twenty years after Lacaille's stay in Cape Town). Lacaille could only have thought of the topic (or dream) of a high precision pendulum clock and not of a real piece. Hence, Geymeier and Hoffmann (2023)<ref>Geymeier, M. & Hoffmann, S.M. (2023): Das Sternbild Horologium im Kontext seiner Zeit, Codices Manuscripti & Impressi, Wien, 53-66</ref> conclude that this hyposthesis similarly vague as the above: "As he had never seen a Harrison clock, he could not have been depicted one, but at most a desire for such a precision instrument (and second pendulums are the most accurate he knew)."

	===Transfer and Transformation of the Constellation===		===Transfer and Transformation of the Constellation===
	[[File:~~Horologium IAU~~.~~svg~~\|alt=~~star chart~~\|thumb\|~~Hor star chart~~. ~~(IAU and Sky & Telescope magazine: Roger Sinnott & Rick Fienberg)~~]]		[[File:Hor lacaillesmall.jpg\|alt=image from hist. map\|thumb\|Horologium in Lacaille's first drawing of the newly invented constellation.]]

	==Mythology==		==Mythology==
			There is no mythology except the above speculations about Lacaille's intensions.

	==Weblinks==		==Weblinks==

Sushoff: Created page with "One of the 88 IAU constellations. ==Etymology and History== The Greek constellation ... ===Origin of Constellation=== ===Transfer and Transformation of the Constellation=== Hor star chart. (IAU and Sky & Telescope magazine: Roger Sinnott & Rick Fienberg) ==Mythology== ==Weblinks== * ==References== References (general) References (Medieval and Early Modern)|References..."

2025-01-24T20:31:48Z

Created page with "One of the 88 IAU constellations. ==Etymology and History== The Greek constellation ... ===Origin of Constellation=== ===Transfer and Transformation of the Constellation=== alt=star chart|thumb|Hor star chart. (IAU and Sky & Telescope magazine: Roger Sinnott & Rick Fienberg) ==Mythology== ==Weblinks== * ==References== *References (general) *References (Medieval and Early Modern)|References..."

New page

One of the [[:Category:88_IAU-Constellations|88 IAU constellations]].

==Etymology and History==
The Greek constellation ...

===Origin of Constellation===

===Transfer and Transformation of the Constellation===
[[File:Horologium IAU.svg|alt=star chart|thumb|Hor star chart. (IAU and Sky & Telescope magazine: Roger Sinnott & Rick Fienberg)]]

==Mythology==

==Weblinks==

*

==References==

*[[References]] (general)
*[[References (Medieval and Early Modern)|References (medieval)]]

[[Category:Eurasia]]
[[Category:Constellation]]
[[Category:European]]
[[Category:Modern]]
[[Category:88 IAU-Constellations]]

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:55, 26 January 2025
Line 21:		Line 21:
	File:Hor lacaillesmall.jpg\|Lacaille's Horologium (1763)		File:Hor lacaillesmall.jpg\|Lacaille's Horologium (1763)
	File:Hor bode1782 hi.jpg\|Horologium in Bode's "Anleitung zur Kenntniß des gestirnten Himmels" (1782).		File:Hor bode1782 hi.jpg\|Horologium in Bode's "Anleitung zur Kenntniß des gestirnten Himmels" (1782).
			File:Hor+Ret Fortin1795.jpg\|Horologium in Fortin's Atlas Céleste, 3rd edition (1795).
	File:Hor Goldbach1799 sw.jpg\|Goldbach's Horologium (1799) exactly reproduced from Lacaille.		File:Hor Goldbach1799 sw.jpg\|Goldbach's Horologium (1799) exactly reproduced from Lacaille.
	</gallery>		</gallery>