Upon entering this ancient city, Tycho was particularly struck with the
grandeur of its fortifications, the splendour of its private houses, and
the beauty of its fountains; and, after a short residence within its
walls, he was still more delighted with the industry of the people, the
refinement of the higher classes, and the love of literature and science
which was cherished by its wealthy citizens. Among the interesting
acquaintances which he formed at Augsburg, were two brothers, John and
Paul Hainzel, the one a septemvir, and the other the consul or
burgomaster. They were both distinguished by their learning, and both of
them, particularly Paul, were ardent lovers of astronomy. Tycho had
hitherto no other astronomical instrument than the coarse radius which
was made for him by Scultetus, and he waited only for a proper occasion
to have a larger and better instrument constructed for his use. Having
now the command of workmen who could execute his plans, he conceived the
bold design of making a divided instrument which should distinctly
exhibit single minutes of a degree. While he was transferring the first
rude conception of his instrument to paper, Paul Hainzel entered his
study, and was so struck with the grandeur of the plan, that he
instantly undertook to have it executed at his own expense. The
projected instrument was a quadrant of fourteen cubits radius! and Tycho
and his friend entered upon its construction with that intense ardour
which is ever crowned with success.
In the village of Gegginga, about half a mile to the south of the city,
Paul Hainzel had a country house, the garden of which was chosen as the
spot where the quadrant was to be fixed. The best artists in Augsburg,
clockmakers, jewellers, smiths, and carpenters, were engaged to execute
the work, and from the zeal which so novel an instrument inspired, the
quadrant was completed in less than a month. Its size was so great that
twenty men could with difficulty transport it to its place of fixture.
The two principal rectangular radii were beams of oak; the arch which
lay between their extremities was made of solid wood of a particular
kind, and the whole was bound together by twelve beams. It received
additional strength from several iron bands, and the arch was covered
with plates of brass, for the purpose of receiving the 5400 divisions
into which it was to be subdivided. A large and strong pillar of oak,
shod with iron, was driven into the ground, and kept in its place by
solid mason work. To this pillar the quadrant was fixed in a vertical
plane, and steps were prepared to elevate the observer, when stars of a
low altitude required his attention. As the instrument could not be
conveniently covered with a roof, it was protected from the weather by a
covering made of skins, but notwithstanding this and other precautions,
it was broken to pieces by a violent storm, after having remained
uninjured for the space of five years.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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