Psalterium Georgianum

Authors: Doris Vickers, Susanne M Hoffmann, IanRidpath

---

The original (first) drawing of Psalterium Georgium in Hell (1789).

Psalterium Georgianum, George's Psaltery or Harp, is an early modern constellation introduced by Maximilian Hell in 1789.

Its name variant is the origin of the modern star name Harpa in Taurus.

Concordance, Etymology, History

Variants

• Psalterium Georgianum
• Psaltriem Georgii
• Harpa Georgii

Origin of Constellation

Ian Ridpath:

Maximilian Hell (1720–92), the Hungarian-born director of the Vienna observatory, introduced this constellation in 1789 under the name Psalterium Georgianum, i.e. George’s Psaltery, a psaltery being an ancient form of harp. It was intended to honour King George III of England, patron of William Herschel who had discovered the planet Uranus in 1781. Hell depicted the harp dangling from a ribbon beneath the hooves of Taurus on a chart in Monumenta, Aere Perenniora, Inter Astra Ponenda, a special publication issued to announce this constellation and two others he invented that commemorated William Herschel’s telescopes (see Sources below). Johann Bode adopted Hell’s new constellation on his Uranographia atlas of 1801 but simplified its name to Harpa Georgii. Bode depicted it as a more modern form of harp, dispensed with the suspending ribbon, and angled the harp to fit better between the surrounding constellations (below). This was the representation that became best-known, before it faded from the sky over the following decades.

Source

In 1789, Hell wrote a treatise in which he introduced three new constellations in the sky in honor of Herschel. It first appeared in Latin as Monumenta, Aere Perenniora, Inter Astra Ponenda.

The three constellations that Hell sought to introduce to the heavens are Tubus Herschelii Major (Herschel’s large telescope, held in Castor's left hand), Tubus Herschelii Minor (Herschel’s small telescope, through which Taurus the Bull gazes), and Psalterium Georgianum (George’s Harp, located beneath the legs of Taurus and in front of the mouth of the sea monster Cetus), two in honour of Herschel, and one in honor of King George III. The positions of these constellations are depicted on a total of four star charts. The fourth chart, which provides a general overview of the celestial region, displays not only the constellations but also the position of the planet Uranus, which was discovered by Herschel in 1781.

Identifications

The exact area covered by this image differs between the historical atlases, but it in the area where Taurus, Cetus and Eridanus meet.

Transfer and Transformation of the Constellation

Here we give a list of all sources where the name is attested.

• 
  Hell (1789).
• 
  Harpa Georgii in the Uranographia of Johann Bode (1801).
• 
  Sidney Hall (1825), plate 28 in Urania's Mirror
• 
  Alexander Jamieson (1822). Orion, Psaltriem Georgii, Sceptrum Brandenburgium, Lepus and Columba Noachi
• 
  Psalterium Georgianum Constellation Position on a modern map

Mythology

mnemonic tales and cultural significance

References

• References (general)