Hevelius Introduced Lacerta the Lizard Constellation in 1687

Summary: Johannes Hevelius introduced Lacerta the Lizard constellation in 1687 as a versicolor little animal in a narrow space between Andromeda and Cygnus.

Lacertae ſive Stellio (Lacerta or Stellio) snuggles among the versicolor lizard's quintet of well-known neighbors, comprising Andromeda the Chained Maiden, Cassiopeia the Seated Queen, Cepheus the King, Cygnus the Swan and Pegasus the Winged Horse; Hevelius's depiction from perspective of outsider looking into celestial globe reverses actual east-west appearance of sky for Earth-based observer as insider looking outward at celestial globe; J. Hevelii, Firmamentum Sobiescianum (MDCXC [1690]), Fig. M: Public Domain, via ETH-Bibliothek e-rara

Seventeenth-century Polish astronomer Johannes Hevelius introduced Lacerta the Lizard constellation in 1687 as a versicolor little animal fitting well in a narrow space of unformed stars between Andromeda the Chained Maiden and Cygnus the Swan.

Johannes Hevelius (Polish: Jan Heweliusz; Jan. 28, 1611-Jan. 28, 1687) offered Cygnus the Swan constellation as one of his 10 newly created constellations in Prodromus Astronomiae. The three-volume compendium contained the Prodromus; a star catalogue, Catalogus Stellarum Fixarum; and a star atlas, Firmamentum Sobiescianum sive Uranographia. Hevelius's death left the Prodromus Astronomiae uncompleted and the catalogue and star atlas, which had been printed in 1687, unpublished. The astronomer-selenographer's wife, Polish astronomer Elisabeth Catherina Koopmann Hevelius (Polish: Elżbieta Koopman Heweliusz; Jan. 17, 1647–Dec. 22, 1693), finalized the Prodromus and then published all three volumes in 1690 under the posthumous authorship of her husband.

Lacerta appeared as the second of Hevelius's 10 newly created constellations in Chapter VIII, De Numero Aſteriſmorum & Stellarum, tum nonnullis Rebus animadverſione dignis, of section Tabulae Solares Novae ("New Solar Tables") in the Prodromus. Although narrow, the space of unformed stars between Andromeda the Chained Maiden and Cygnus the Swan, nevertheless, allowed for a standing large animal. Accordingly, a little animal such as a lizard conformed nicely to the available area. The space's narrowness enhanced the effect of the ten stars forming Lacerta so that the versicolor lizard appeared to be adorned with stars.

"De loco Lacertae ſive Stellionis. Secundò, Lacertam ſive Stellionem, quam inter Andromedam, & Cygnum repoſui, eam ob cauſam elegi, quòd ibidem in tali anguſto loco magnum aliquod animal conſiſtere minimè poſſet, etiamſi decem lucidisſimis Stellulis, spatium iſtud eſſet refertum: adhaec, ut autores volunt, ſit animalculum verſicolor, quaſi plurimis Stellulis exornatum; id quod Noſtro animalculo Coeleſti omnium optimè convenit," explained Hevelius.

Hevelius alternatively named his constellatory lizard Stellio, after the starred agama, as noted by English astronomy writer Ian Ridpath (born May 1, 1947) in "Lacerta the Lizard" in Chapter Three: The Celestial Eighty-Eight of Star Tales on his eponymous website (www.ianridpath.com). The color-changing starred agama (Stellagama stellio Baig et al., 2012; Laudakia stellio Linnaeus, 1758) is native to northwestern Africa, southwestern Asia and Greece, according to British science writer, technical editor and palaeozoologist Darren Naish's Tetrapod Zoology post "Stellagama the Rainbow Dragon," published May 25, 2017, on Scientific American's blogging collective.

Seventeenth-century Polish astronomer Johannes Hevelius named his new saurian constellation Lacerta the Lizard, with the alternative name of Stellio, after northwestern Africa and southwestern Asia's starred agama (Stellagama stellio Baig et al., 2012; Laudakia stellio Linnaeus, 1758); starred agama subspecies roughtail rock agama (Stellagama stellio brachydactyla) is the starred agama species most commonly seen in captivity, according to British science writer, technical editor and palaeozoologist Darren Naish; Friday, May 11, 2018, 13:21, image of roughtail rock agama, Dana Biosphere Reserve (Arabic: محمية ضانا للمحيط الحيوي), south central Jordan: Charles J. Sharp (Charlesjsharp), CC BY SA 4.0 International, via Wikimedia Commons

Lacerta the Lizard neighbors with five constellations. Northern neighbors Cassiopeia the Seated Queen and Cepheus the King define Lacerta's northeastern and northern borders, respectively. Andromeda the Seated Queen touches most of eastern Lacerta and a small section of the Lizard's southeastern border. Cygnus the Swan stretches along Lacerta's western border. Pegasus the Winged Horse's front hooves approach Lacerta's hind feet on the Lizard's southern border.

With an area of 200.7 square degrees, Lacerta the Lizard constellation occupies 0.486 percent of the sky, according to the table of constellations on Ian Ridpath's website. Vulpecula's area places it as the 68th largest of the 88 constellations recognized by the International Astronomical Union (IAU).

Right ascension (abbreviated RA; symbol α) coordinates for Lacerta extend from 21 hours 57 minutes 30.3937 seconds to 22h 57m 51.6729s, according to the constellation boundary tables on the International Astronomical Union's website. In the equatorial coordinate system, right ascension relates with terrestrial longitude.

Declination (abbreviated dec; symbol δ) coordinates for Lacerta stretch from plus 35.1656151 to plus 56.9179611. The equatorial coordinate system's declination identifies with geographic latitude.

Constellation Lacerta offers full visibility to Earth-based observers located between latitudes 90 degrees north and 33 degrees south. Partial visibility of the saurian constellation is available to stargazers positioned between latitudes 33 degrees south and 54 degrees south in the southern hemisphere (Ridpath, Constellations -- 2).

Lacerta maintains a year-round above-horizon presence via full or partial visibility, according to science writer Kelly Kizer Whitt in "Lacerta the Lizard, home to a blazar," published Oct. 3, 2021, on the EarthSky website. Hevelius's saurian constellation numbers among 17 summer constellations listed by the American Association of Amateur Astronomers (AAAA) on The Constellation Home Page on the organization's website. Lacerta's summer presence continues into the autumn, with October qualifying as the constellation's best viewing month, according to James Miller in "Star Constellation Facts: Lacerta," posted April 11, 2017, on his website, Astronomy Trek.

Cygnus with the Swan's eastern neighbor, Lacerta the Lizard (right center-lower); Hevelius's depiction from perspective of outsider looking into celestial globe reverses actual east-west appearance of sky for Earth-based observer as insider looking outward at celestial globe; J. Hevelii, Firmamentum Sobiescianum (MDCXC [1690]), Fig. K: Public Domain, via ETH-Bibliothek e-rara

Acknowledgment

My special thanks to talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the internet.

Image credits:

Lacertae ſive Stellio (Lacerta or Stellio) snuggles among the versicolor lizard's quintet of well-known neighbors, comprising Andromeda the Chained Maiden, Cassiopeia the Seated Queen, Cepheus the King, Cygnus the Swan and Pegasus the Winged Horse; Hevelius's depiction from perspective of outsider looking into celestial globe reverses actual east-west appearance of sky for Earth-based observer as insider looking outward at celestial globe; J. Hevelii, Firmamentum Sobiescianum (MDCXC [1690]), Fig. M: Public Domain, via ETH-Bibliothek e-rara @ https://www.e-rara.ch/zut/content/zoom/133903

Seventeenth-century Polish astronomer Johannes Hevelius named his new saurian constellation Lacerta the Lizard, with the alternative name of Stellio, after northwestern Africa and southwestern Asia's starred agama (Stellagama stellio Baig et al., 2012; Laudakia stellio Linnaeus, 1758); starred agama subspecies roughtail rock agama (Stellagama stellio brachydactyla) is the starred agama species most commonly seen in captivity, according to British science writer, technical editor and palaeozoologist Darren Naish; Friday, May 11, 2018, 13:21, image of roughtail rock agama, Dana Biosphere Reserve (Arabic: محمية ضانا للمحيط الحيوي), south central Jordan: Charles J. Sharp (Charlesjsharp), CC BY SA 4.0 International, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Roughtail_rock_agama_(Stellagama_stellio_brachydactyla).jpg

Cygnus with the Swan's eastern neighbor, Lacerta the Lizard (right center-lower); Hevelius's depiction from perspective of outsider looking into celestial globe reverses actual east-west appearance of sky for Earth-based observer as insider looking outward at celestial globe; J. Hevelii, Firmamentum Sobiescianum (MDCXC [1690]), Fig. K: Public Domain, via ETH-Bibliothek e-rara @ https://www.e-rara.ch/zut/content/zoom/133899

For further information:

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Available @ http://www.astromax.org/con-page/con-sumr.htm

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