The Harmonia Macrocosmica of Andreas Cellarius

The Plates with an English Translation of the Title Captions

The following table lists the Latin captions accompanying the plates of the Harmonia Macrocosmica of Andreas Cellarius with an English translation.

click for a larger image   click for a larger image   click for a larger image
Plate 1   Plate 2   Plate 3
click for a larger image   click for a larger image   click for a larger image
Plate 4   Plate 5   Plate 6
click for a larger image   click for a larger image   click for a larger image
Plate 7   Plate 8   Plate 9
click for a larger image   click for a larger image   click for a larger image
Plate 10   Plate 11   Plate 12
click for a larger image   click for a larger image   click for a larger image
Plate 13   Plate 14   Plate 15
click for a larger image   click for a larger image   click for a larger image
Plate 16   Plate 17   Plate 18
click for a larger image   click for a larger image   click for a larger image
Plate 19   Plate 20   Plate 21
click for a larger image   click for a larger image   click for a larger image
Plate 22   Plate 23   Plate 24
click for a larger image   click for a larger image   click for a larger image
Plate 25   Plate 26   Plate 27
click for a larger image   click for a larger image    
Plate 28   Plate 29    
  1. PLANISPHÆRIVM PTOLEMAICVM, Sive Machina ORBIVM MVNDI EX HYPOTHESI PTOLEMAICA IN PLANO DISPOSITA – The planisphere of Ptolemy, or the mechanism (i.e. the movements) of the heavenly orbits following the hypothesis of Ptolemy laid out in a planar view.
     
  2. SCENOGRAPHIA SYSTEMATIS MVNDANI PTOLEMAICI – Scenography of the Ptolemaic cosmography.
     
  3. ORBIUM PLANETARUM TERRAM COMPLECTENTIUM SCENOGRAPHIA – Scenography of the planetary orbits encompassing the Earth.
     
  4. PLANISPHÆRIVM COPERNICANVM Sive Systema VNIVERSI TOTIVS CREATI EX HYPOTHESI COPERNICANA IN PLANO EXHIBITVM – The planisphere of Copernicus, or the system of the entire created universe according to the hypothesis of Copernicus exhibited in a planar view.
     
  5. SCENOGRAPHIA SYSTEMATIS COPERNICANI – Scenography of the Copernican world system.
     
  6. PLANISPHÆRIVM BRAHEVM, Sive Structura MVNDI TOTIVS, EX HYPOTHESI TYCHONIS BRAHEI IN PLANO DELINEATA – The planisphere of Brahe, or the structure of the universe following the hypothesis of Tycho Brahe drawn in a planar view. Engraved in 1656.
     
  7. SCENOGRAPHIA COMPAGIS MVNDANÆ BRAHEA – Scenography of the world’s construction according to (Tycho) Brahe.
     
  8. PLANISPHÆRIVM ARATEVM Sive Compages ORBIVM MVNDANORVM EX HYPOTHESI ARATEA IN PLANO EXPRESSA – The planisphere of Aratus, or the composition of the heavenly orbits following the hypothesis of Aratus expressed in a planar view.
     
  9. TYCHONIS BRAHE CALCVLVS, PLANETARVM CVRSVS ET ALTITVDINES OB OCVLOS PONENS – Tycho Brahe’s (method of) calculation pointing out the courses and altitudes (i.e. distances) of the planets. Engraved by Johannes van Loon.
     
  10. CORPORUM COELESTIUM MAGNITUDINES – The sizes of the celestial bodies. Engraved by Johannes van Loon [in some copies the terrestrial sphere has the continents drawn in by hand].
     
  11. SITVS TERRÆ CIRCVLIS COELESTIBVS CIRCVNDATÆ – The location of the Earth encircled by the celestial circles. Engraved by Johannes van Loon.
     
  12. HÆMISPHÆRIA SPHÆRARUM RECTÆ ET OBLIQUÆ UTRIUSQUE MOTUS ET LONGITUDINES TAM COELESTES QUAM TERRESTRES AC STELLARUM AFFECTIONES MONS[T]RANTIA – Hemispheres displaying both the celestial and terrestrial motions and longitudes of either sphere, the upright sphere (i.e. the equatorial co-ordinate system) and the oblique sphere (i.e. the ecliptic co-ordinate system), along with the influences of the stars.
     
  13. HEMISPHÆRIVM ORBIS ANTIQVI, CVM ZONIS, CIRCVLIS, ET SITV POPVLORUM DIVERSO – The hemisphere of the Old World, with its (climate) zones, (meridian) circles and the dwelling places of the distinctive races. Engraved by Johannes van Loon.
     
  14. HYPOTHESIS PTOLEMAICA, SIVE COMMUNIS, PLANETARUM MOTUS PER ECCENTRICOS, ET EPICYCLOS DEMONSTRANS – The Ptolemaic or common(ly accepted) hypothesis, demonstrating the planetary motions in eccentric and epicyclical orbits.
     
  15. TYPUS ASPECTUUM, OPPOSITIONUM ET CONIUNCTIONUM ETZ IN PLANETIS – The (astrological) aspects, such as opposition, conjunction, etc., among the planets. Engraved by Johannes van Loon.
     
  16. THEORIA SOLIS PER ECCENTRICUM SINE EPICYCLO – Representation of the Sun in an eccentric orbit without epicycles. Engraved by Johannes van Loon.
     
  17. SOLIS CIRCA ORBEM TERRARUM SPIRALIS REVOLUTIO – The (apparent) spiral revolution of the Sun around the Earth.
     
  18. THEORIA LUNÆ, EIUS MOTUM PER ECCENTRICVM ET EPICYCLVM DEMONSTRANS – Representation of the Moon showing its motion in an eccentric orbit with epicycles. Engraved by Johannes van Loon.
     
  19. TYPUS SELENOGRAPHICUS LUNÆ PHASES ET ASPECTUS VARIOS ADUMBRANS [some copies from the 1660 edition have the nonsensical reading ‘... OS ADVARIUMBRANS’] – Selenographic diagram depicting the varying phases and appearances of the Moon by (means of) shading. Engraving by Johannes van Loon.
     
  20. THEORIA TRIUM SUPERIORUM PLANETARUM – Representation (of the motions) of the three superior planets (Mars, Jupiter & Saturn). Engraved by Johannes van Loon.
     
  21. THEORIA VENERIS ET MERCURII – Representation (of the motions) of Venus and Mercury. Engraved by Johanne van Loon.
     
  22. COELI STELLATI CHRISTIANI HÆMISPHÆRIUM PRIUS – First hemisphere with the Christianized firmament.
     
  23. COELI STELLATI CHRISTIANI HÆMISPHÆRIUM POSTERIUS – Second hemisphere with the Christianized firmament.
     
  24. HÆMISPHÆRIUM STELLATUM BOREALE ANTIQVUM – The northern stellar hemisphere of antiquity.
     
  25. HEMISPHÆRII BOREALIS COELI ET TERRÆ SPHÆRICA SCENOGRAPHIA – Spherical scenography of both the celestial and terrestrial northern hemispheres.
     
  26. HÆMISPHÆRIUM STELLATVM BOREALE CVM SUBIECTO HÆMISPHÆRIO TERRESTRI – The northern stellar hemisphere, with the terrestrial hemisphere lying underneath.
     
  27. HÆMISPHÆRIUM STELLATUM AUSTRALE ANTIQUUM – The southern stellar hemisphere of antiquity.
     
  28. HÆMISPHÆRIVM SCENOGRAPHICUM AUSTRALE COELI STELLATI ET TERRÆ – The southern hemisphere of both the starry vault and the Earth, shown scenographically.
     
  29. HÆMISPHÆRIUM STELLATUM AUSTRALE ÆQUALI SPHÆRARUM PROPORTIONE – The southern stellar hemisphere with equally proportioned (celestial and terrestrial) spheres.

In general, the plates of the 1660/61 editions are coloured in bright tones – those of the 1708 reprint tend to be more plain in colouring.


The above translations are based on the material kindly communicated to me by dr. Henry A.I. Stadhouders (Theological Institute, University of Utrecht).


Return to top of page Return to main page