Terrestrial and Celestial Globes Volume 2: Their History and Construction Including a Consideration of their Value as Aids in the Study of Geography and AstronomyStevenson, Edward Luther
History
Terrestrial and Celestial Globes Volume 2: Their History and Construction Including a Consideration of their Value as Aids in the Study of Geography and Astronomy
Stevenson, Edward Luther
Geography -- History; Globes
The Abbot Gimma, to whom reference has been made, informs us that
Coronelli constructed other globes, the same having diameters
respectively six, four, and two inches, and in the ‘Epitome
Cosmografica’ of the author, under the paragraph heading, “Opere
stampate dal Padre Coronelli,” we read that he constructed celestial and
terrestrial globes three inches in diameter for the pocket. In Volume X
of the ‘Atlanta Veneto,’ under the title “Globi del Coronelli,” the
gores of these globes are reproduced, and from these reprints we are
able to get certain information concerning them. But one pair of his
six-inch globes has been located and none of the smaller size, this one
pair being the unmounted gores, twelve in number for each globe, to be
found in the British Museum. The terrestrial has the following
dedication: “Hos Globos Terraqueum ac Coelestem dicat et donat R. m̄o P.
D. Sigismundo Pollitio a Placentia Praeposito Generali Monarchorum
Ermitorum S. Hyeronimi Congreg. Lombardiae P. M. Coronelli Cosmographus
P.” “These globes, a terrestrial and a celestial P. M. Coronelli gives
and dedicates to the Rev. P. D. Sigismund Pollitus head of the
congregation of Hermit Monks of St. Jerome of Lombardy. At Placentia.”
And the celestial has the following, “R. m̄o P. D. Sigismundo Pollitio
Praep. Generali Mon. Erem. S. Hyeron.” “To the Rev. P. D. Sigismund
Pollitus. General of the Hermit Monks of St. Jerome.” Three other
inscriptions of the celestial globe read respectively “Auct. P.
Vincentius Coronelli Cosmog. Publ.,” “Stellae supput. fuerunt ad annum
1700,” and “Venetiis. In Academiae Cosmog. Argon.”
Fiorini makes brief mention of a rather remarkable armillary sphere, cut
out of a solid block of alabaster, now belonging to the Museo Civico of
Siena.[102] It is neither signed nor dated, but was probably constructed
toward the close of the seventeenth century.
It has two meridian circles, circles representing the tropics whose
outer circumference is 66 cm., polar circles having a circumference of
21 cm., and circles representing the solstitial colures and the equator,
the latter having an outer circumference of 72 cm. All circles are
graduated, but in the case of the polar circles the numbers of the
degrees are not marked. In addition to the above-mentioned circles,
there is one representing the zodiac which is exceedingly heavy, on
which have been cut the signs of the several constellations and the
names of the months.
This assemblage of armillae is adjusted to revolve within a brass
circle, the whole resting upon a base of alabaster. At the common center
is a small ball mounted on a metallic rod which passes through the poles
of the circles. This small terrestrial sphere has a diameter of 8 cm.,
and around it are two small circles probably intended to represent the
path of the moon and of the planet Mercury.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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