Hevelius Introduced Scutum the Shield Constellation in 1687

Summary: Johannes Hevelius introduced Scutum the Shield constellation in 1687 to honor Polish King John III Sobieski's 1683 victory against the Ottoman Empire.

Scutum Sobiescian, dedicated to Serenissimo, Potentissimo ac Inuictissimo Iohanni III Regi Poloniarum (To the Most Serene, Most Powerful and Invincible King John III of Poland); 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. Q: Public Domain, via ETH-Bibliothek e-rara

Seventeenth-century Polish astronomer Johannes Hevelius introduced Scutum the Shield constellation in 1687 to honor Polish King John III Sobieski's victory against the Ottoman Empire in the Battle of Vienna in 1683.

Johannes Hevelius (Polish: Jan Heweliusz; Jan. 28, 1611-Jan. 28, 1687) offered Scutum the Shield constellation as one of 10 constellations that he had invented 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death left the Prodromus Astronomiae unfinished and the catalogue and star atlas, which had been printed in 1687, unpublished.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), completed the Prodromus and then published all three volumes in 1690 under the posthumous authorship of her husband.

Scutum appeared as the sixth 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. He dedicated Scutum to John III Sobieski (Polish: Jan III Sobieski; Lithuanian: Jonas III Sobieskis; Latin: Ioannes III Sobiscius; Aug. 17,1629-June 17, 1696), who reigned as King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania (19 May 1674-June 17, 1696) during the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (July 1, 1569-Nov. 25, 1795). The constellatory shield honored the King's achievements within Poland and also for the benefit of Christianity via the Holy Roman Empire. Specifically, on Sunday, Sep. 12, 1683, after almost two months, the Battle of Vienna (July 14, 1683-Sep. 12, 1683) concluded with the defeat of the Ottoman Empire's (ca. 1299-Nov. 1, 1922) Merzifonlu Kara Mustafa Pasha (Ottoman Turkish: مرزيفونلى قره مصطفى پاشا; Turkish: Merzifonlu Kara Mustafa Paşa; "Mustafa Pasha the Courageous of Merzifon"; 1634/1635-Dec. 25, 1683) by the Holy Roman Empire (Dec. 25, 800-Aug. 6, 1806) under King John III Sobieski's command.

"Scutum Sobieſcianum meritò inter Aſtra lucet. Sextò; Scutum quod attinet, praegnantibus ex Rationibus ad Firmamentum usque inter Aſtra evexi, in perpetuam nimirùm Memoriam Auguſtisſimi Noſtri Regis ac Domini, Domini JOHANNIS III. Regis Poloniarum, ob immenſa Ejus Merita, Heroicas Animi Dotes, Magnanimitatem, & ob Res ſtrenuè, ac fortiter getas, non ſolum in Regno Poloniae, ſed etiam in Imperio Romano, imò in maximum commodum, & incrementum totius Chriſtianae Religionis. (Merita Auguſtisſimi Noſtri Regis.) Dum ſuo Regno, cum toto Exercitu Polonico egreſſus, Urbem Viennam, Sedem romani Imperatoris, à crudelisſimâ Obſidione Ottomannicâ gloriosè liberavit, totam Cohortem Barbarorum in fugam profligavit, ac funditùs proſtravit, ſicque magnam partem Eorum, qui pro fide Chriſtianâ militant, à Jugo Mahometis, & Antichriſti rursùs è ſervitute expedivit, atque in libertatem vindicavit. Et cùm dictus Rex meus longè Clementisimus, tanquam Magnus & Incomparabilis Heros, pro Fide Chriſtianorum militaverit, atque Inſigna Ejus ac Praedeceſſorum, Scutum re omni nudatum ac vacuum prae ſe ferant: idcircò eo ipſo Coeli loco collocare volui, ac debui, quò totam illam Heroicam Hiſtoriam omnimodè, & nativo colore depingerem ac exprimerem. Imò lubens fateor (de quo Altiſimo ſummas ago grates) rem hanc adeò feliciter ſuccesſiſſe, ut nunguam feliciùs, & convenientiùs potuiſſ, nec ullum unquam alium locum in toto Firmamento adeſſe, ubi res haec pleniùs, cum omnibus circumſtantiis elucidari, atque explicari queat, etiamſi Ingenioſisſimus Poeta eum in cerebro primùm finxiſſet," Hevelius explained (pages 115-116).

Scutum the Shield neighbors with three constellations. Aquila the Eagle flies along northeastern Scutum and shares much of Scutum's eastern border. Serpens Cauda the Serpent's Tail stretches along Scutum's northwestern and western borders. Sagittarius the Archer touches Scutum's southern and southeastern extents.

Sobiescianum Scutum neighbors with Aquila the Eagle, obsolete constellation Antinous the Beloved of Hadrian, Sagittarius the Archer and Serpens Cauda the Serpent's Tail, the eastern half of the disconnected serpent held by Ophiuchus the Serpent Bearer, known alternatively as Serpentarius; 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. P: Public Domain, via ETH-Bibliothek e-rara

With an area of 109.1 square degrees, Scutum the Shiled constellation occupies 0.264 percent of the sky, according to English astronomy writer Ian Ridpath (born May 1, 1947) in his table of constellations on his eponymous website (ianridpath.com). Scutum's area places it as 84thth in size among the 88 constellations recognized by the International Astronomical Union (IAU).

Right ascension (abbreviated RA; symbol α) coordinates for Scutum extend from 17 hours 16 minutes 53.2967 seconds to 18h 58m 18.3421s, 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 Scutum stretch from plus 6.4156075 to minus 16.1399899. The equatorial coordinate system's declination identifies with geographic latitude.

Constellation Scutum offers full visibility to Earth-based observers located between latitudes 74 degrees north and 90 degrees south. Partial visibility of the southern celestial hemisphere constellation is available to stargazers positioned between latitudes 86 degrees north and 74 degrees north in the northern hemisphere (Ridpath, Constellations -- 2).

Hevelius's constellatory shield numbers among 17 summer constellations listed by the American Association of Amateur Astronomers (AAAA) on The Constellation Home Page on the organization's website. June through August offer best viewing of Scutum the Shield constellation in the northern hemisphere, according to James Miller in "Star Constellation Facts: Scutum," posted April 18, 2017, on his website, Astronomy Trek.

Aquila the Eagle and obsolete constellation Antinous the Beloved of Hadrian, with Sobiesc. Scutum (lower left); 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. R: 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:

Scutum Sobiescian, dedicated to Serenissimo, Potentissimo ac Inuictissimo Iohanni III Regi Poloniarum (To the Most Serene, Most Powerful and Invincible King John III of Poland); 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. Q: Public Domain, via ETH-Bibliothek e-rara @ https://www.e-rara.ch/zut/content/zoom/133911

Sobiescianum Scutum neighbors with Aquila the Eagle, obsolete constellation Antinous the Beloved of Hadrian, Sagittarius the Archer and Serpens Cauda the Serpent's Tail, the eastern half of the disconnected serpent held by Ophiuchus the Serpent Bearer, known alternatively as Serpentarius; 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. P: Public Domain, via ETH-Bibliothek e-rara @ https://www.e-rara.ch/zut/content/zoom/133909

Aquila the Eagle and obsolete constellation Antinous the Beloved of Hadrian, with Sobiesc. Scutum (lower left); 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. R: Public Domain, via ETH-Bibliothek e-rara @ https://www.e-rara.ch/zut/content/zoom/133913

For further information:

The American Association of Amateur Astronomers. "The Summer Constellations." The American Association of Amateur Astronomers > The Constellation Home Page.
Available @ http://www.astromax.org/con-page/con-sumr.htm

Byrd, Deborah. "Scutum the Shield is named for a Polish king." EarthSky > Tonight > Constellations. July 9, 2023.
Available @ https://earthsky.org/constellations/lacerta-the-lizard-blazar/

Flaspoehler, Edward P., Jr. "The Constellation Scutum -- The Shield." The American Assocation of Amateur Astronomers > The Constellation Home Page > The Summer Constellations.
Available @ http://www.astromax.org/con-page/summer/sct-01.htm

Harper, David; and L. (Lynne) M. Stockman. "Scutum -- The Shield. Abbreviation: Sct. Genitive: Scuti. Origin: Johannes Hevelius." Obliquity > Sky Eye > The Constellations > Modern Constellations.
Available @ https://www.obliquity.com/skyeye/88const/Sct.html

Hevelii, Johannis. "Scutum Sobieſcianum meritò inter Aſtra lucet. Sextò; Scutum quod attinet, praegnantibus ex Rationibus ad Firmamentum usque inter Aſtra evexi, in perpetuam nimirùm Memoriam Auguſtisſimi Noſtri Regis ac Domini, Domini JOHANNIS III. Regis Poloniarum, ob immenſa Ejus Merita, Heroicas Animi Dotes, Magnanimitatem, & ob Res ſtrenuè, ac fortiter getas, non ſolum in Regno Poloniae, ſed etiam in Imperio Romano, imò in maximum commodum, & incrementum totius Chriſtianae Religionis. (Merita Auguſtisſimi Noſtri Regis.) Dum ſuo Regno, cum toto Exercitu Polonico egreſſus, Urbem Viennam, Sedem romani Imperatoris, à crudelisſimâ Obſidione Ottomannicâ gloriosè liberavit, totam Cohortem Barbarorum in fugam profligavit, ac funditùs proſtravit, ſicque magnam partem Eorum, qui pro fide Chriſtianâ militant, à Jugo Mahometis, & Antichriſti rursùs è ſervitute expedivit, atque in libertatem vindicavit. Et cùm dictus Rex meus longè Clementisimus, tanquam Magnus & Incomparabilis Heros, pro Fide Chriſtianorum militaverit, atque Inſigna Ejus ac Praedeceſſorum, Scutum re omni nudatum ac vacuum prae ſe ferant: idcircò eo ipſo Coeli loco collocare volui, ac debui, quò totam illam Heroicam Hiſtoriam omnimodè, & nativo colore depingerem ac exprimerem. Imò lubens fateor (de quo Altiſimo ſummas ago grates) rem hanc adeò feliciter ſuccesſiſſe, ut nunguam feliciùs, & convenientiùs potuiſſ, nec ullum unquam alium locum in toto Firmamento adeſſe, ubi res haec pleniùs, cum omnibus circumſtantiis elucidari, atque explicari queat, etiamſi Ingenioſisſimus Poeta eum in cerebro primùm finxiſſet. . . ." Pages 115-116. Prodromus Astronomiae cum Catalogo Fixarum, & Firmamentum Sobiescianum: Prodromus Astronomiae . . . Quibus additus est uterq[ue] Catalogus Stellarum Fixarum, tam major ad Annum 1660, quàm minor ad Annum completum 1700. Acceſſ Corollarii loco Tabula Motus Lunae Libratorii, Ad bina ſecula proximè ventura prolongata, brevi cum Deſcriptione, ejus ue uſu. Tabulae Solares Novae, pages 51-142. Caput VIII De Numero Aſteriſmorum & Stellarum, tum nonnullis Rebus animadverſione dignis," pages 108-124. Gedani [Gdansk]: Typis Johannis-Zachariae Stollii, M DC XC [1690].
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