English Naturalist John Hill Named Spider Constellation Aranea in 1754

Summary: English naturalist John Hill introduced spider constellation Aranea in his 1754 astronomical dictionary, Urania, or, A Compleat View of the Heavens.

The southern celestial hemisphere's Aranea the Spider neighbors closely with Virgo the Maiden, Corvus the Crow and Hydra the Sea Serpent; John Hill, Urania, or, A Compleat View of the Heavens, vol. I (M.DCC.LIV [1754]), between first and second of five pages on Virgo: Public Domain, via Google Books Read for Free

Eighteenth-century English apothecary, naturalist and writer John Hill introduced Aranea the Spider constellation in his astronomical dictionary, Urania, or, A Compleat View of the Heavens, published in 1754.

John Hill (1714-Nov. 21, 1775) epitheted Aranea as "A conſtellation offered to the aſtronomical world, and compoſed of a cluſter of unformed and very conſpicuous ſtars near the ſign Virgo," according to his description in Urania, or, A Compleat View of the Heavens. In the starry cluster he recognized the outlines of "the common long-legged ſpider, which we ſee in the fields among the graſs in ſummer, and which the old writers on natural hiſtory have all described under the name of the field ſpider, and the late ones under that of the long-legged ſpider, or Acarus."

Hill discerned the location of the "little conſtellation" as a "ſpace . . . not ill provided of ſtars, and they are very happily diſpoſed to anſwer to the principal parts of the figure; it is repreſented in a poſture of walking, raiſed from the ground by its long legs, and marching from the conſtellation Virgo toward the lower part of that of Hydra."

The constellation's creator situated his arachnid with its "hinder part . . . very near to the knee of Virgo, and to the ſpike or ear of corn in the left hand." Aranea faced Corvus the Crow and Hydra the Sea Serpent, with "its head . . . directed toward that part of the body of the Hydra a little below where the raven ſits, but at ſome distance; the tail of the raven is nearly at an equal diſtance from the left legs of the ſpider." The arachnid's right legs neared Virgo but also associated with more distant neighbor Libra the Balance, as "its right legs are near a part of the robe of Virgo, and are turned toward the ſign of Libra; but this is at a conſiderable distance."

Hill tallied 13 "conſpicuous ſtars in the conſtellation Aranea." Their remoteness distinctifies the "very bright appearance" yielded by the constellation's stellar magnitudes. "Theſe are all remote enough from the neareſt of thoſe of any other conſtellation, and there is no confuſion."

Although he did not identify the new constellation's stars by their designations, Hill detailed the associated body parts represented by 10 of Aranea's starry components. "There is one placed juſt at the meeting of the forceps before the head, and one ſtar at the extremity of the body, or at the rump of the creature. The reſt are diſpoſed about the legs and feet. With reſpect to the four legs on the right ſide, there is one ſtar at the extremity or foot of each; and on the third there is alſo another ſtar about the joint of the knee. With reſpect to the four on the left ſide, the firſt leg has two ſtars almoſt cloſe together at the extremity or foot; the ſecond has one at the upper joint, and one at the foot; the third has none at the foot, but one at the middle joint; and the fourth has one at the foot, and none in another part."

John Hill's Aranea the Spider constellation (top-center) inhabits the Southern Hemisphere's third quadrant (SQ3) in between close constellatory neighbors Virgo the Virgin, Corvus the Crow and Hydra the Sea Serpent and with Bufo the Toad (lower left-center) as nearest Hill-invented constellation: Ultima Thulean, CC BY SA 4.0 International, via Wikimedia Commons

Aranea is positioned south of Spica (α Virginis, Alpha Virginis; abbreviated α Vir, Alpha Vir), according to David Harper, once an astronomer specializing in celestial mechanics and positional astronomy but now a genome researcher, and his wife, astronomer L. (Lynne) M. Stockman, in "Aranea: The Long-Legged Spider," posted on their Obliquity website. Constellation Virgo's brightest member actually comprises a spectroscopic binary star, discernible via rhythmic alterations in wavelengths of spectral lines. Spica marks the sheaf of grain or palm leaf held by Virgo the Virgin.

Twelve of Aranea's 13 stars are depicted by Harper and Stockman in "Aranea -- The Long-Legged Spider" on their Obliquity website. All 12 reside in Virgo the Maiden: 53 Vir, 55 Vir, 57 Vir, 61 Vir, 63 Vir, 68 Vir, 69 Vir, 75 Vir, 83 Vir, 87 Vir, Gamma Vir (γ Vir) and HD (Henry Draper) 120544.

Aranea numbered among 15 constellations that John Hill "offered to the aſtronomical world." The celestial spider joined eight other invented constellatory occupants of the southern celestial hemisphere. Hill cast Anguilla the Eel, Bufo the Toad, Dentalium the Tooth Shell, Hippocampus the Sea Horse, Limax the Slug, Pinna Marina the Mussel, Scarabaeus the Rhinoceros Beetle and Testudo the Tortoise as his invented dwellers of the southern skies.

The lack of acceptance of Hill's constellations places them in the category of former constellations, also termed as defunct, extinct, forgotten or obsolete. Perhaps Hill devised them jocularly, rather than seriously, suggest English constellation history biographer Ian Ridpath (born May 1, 1947) and Obliquity's Harper and Stockman.

John Hill equated his Aranea the spider constellation with Earth's common long-legged spiders, known as Acarus, and with field spiders; depictions of seven species of Aranea genus of spiders and of two species of long-legged Acarus species, in John Hill, An History of Animals (1752), Plate 2, opposite page 30: Public Domain, via Biodiversity Heritage Library

Acknowledgment

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

Dedication

This post is dedicated to the memory of our beloved blue-eyed brother, Charles, who guided the creation of the Met Opera and Astronomy posts on Earth and Space News. We memorialized our brother in "Our Beloved Blue-Eyed Brother, Charles, With Whom We Are Well Pleased," published on Earth and Space News on Thursday, Nov. 18, 2021, an anniversary of our beloved father's death.

Image credits:

The southern celestial hemisphere's Aranea the Spider neighbors closely with Virgo the Maiden, Corvus the Crow and Hydra the Sea Serpent; John Hill, Urania, or, A Compleat View of the Heavens, vol. I (M.DCC.LIV [1754]), between first and second of five pages on Virgo: Public Domain, via Google Books Read for Free @ https://www.google.com/books/edition/Urania_or_a_compleat_view_of_the_Heavens/n_ReAAAAcAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1; Ultima Thulean, CC BY SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Aranea_Constellation.jpg

John Hill's Aranea the Spider constellation (top-center) inhabits the Southern Hemisphere's third quadrant (SQ3) in between close constellatory neighbors Virgo the Virgin, Corvus the Crow and Hydra the Sea Serpent and with Bufo the Toad (lower left-center) as nearest Hill-invented constellation: Ultima Thulean, CC BY SA 4.0 International, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Southern_Hemisphere_Hill's_Constellations.png

John Hill equated his Aranea the spider constellation with Earth's common long-legged spiders, known as Acarus, and with field spiders; depictions of seven species of Aranea genus of spiders and of two species of long-legged Acarus species, in John Hill, An History of Animals (1752), Plate 2, opposite page 30: Public Domain, via Biodiversity Heritage Library @ https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/56071239; Biodiversity Heritage Library (BioDivLibrary), Public Domain, via Flickr @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/biodivlibrary/50375462592/

For further information:

Astronomy & Geophysics A & G. "Profile: David Harper." Astronomy & Geophysics A & G, vol. 50, issue 6 (Dec. 1, 2009): 6.13–6.14.
Available via A & G @ https://academic.oup.com/astrogeo/article/50/6/6.13/192028

Barker, George Fisher Russell. "Hill, John (1716?-1775)." Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, vol. 26: 397-401.
Available via Wikisource @ https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Dictionary_of_National_Biography,_1885-1900/Hill,_John_(1716%3F-1775)

Daily Echo. "Rosemary's selection of Desert Island Archives." Daily Echo > News. Jan. 3, 2003.
Available @ https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/5599516.rosemarys-selection-of-desert-island-archives/

Google Arts and Culture. "A new astronomical dictionary : or, a compleat view of the heavens; containing the antient and modern astronomy, illustrated with a great number of figures, comprising all the constellations ... / by John Hill." Google Arts and Culture > Asset.
Available @ https://artsandculture.google.com/asset/a-new-astronomical-dictionary-or-a-compleat-view-of-the-heavens-containing-the-antient-and-modern-astronomy-illustrated-with-a-great-number-of-figures-comprising-all-the-constellations-by-john-hill/MQH3BrIcArVs2Q?hl=en

Harper, David; and L. (Lynne) M. Stockman. "Aranea -- The Long-Legged Spider. Unofficial Abbreviation: Are. Genitive: Araneae. Origin: John Hill." Obliquity > Sky Eye > The Constellations > Extinct Constellations.
Available @ https://www.obliquity.com/skyeye/88const/Are.html

Hill, John. "Acarus." Pages 23-25. An History of Animals: Containing Descriptions of the Birds, Beasts, Fishes, and Insects, of the Several Parts of the World; and Including Accounts of the Several Classes of Animalcules, Visible Only by the Assistance of Microscopes. London: Printed for Thomas Osborne, in Gray's-Inn, M.DCCLII [1752].
Available via Biodiversity Heritage Library @ https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/56071247

Hill, John. "Aranea." Pages 26-27. An History of Animals: Containing Descriptions of the Birds, Beasts, Fishes, and Insects, of the Several Parts of the World; and Including Accounts of the Several Classes of Animalcules, Visible Only by the Assistance of Microscopes. London: Printed for Thomas Osborne, in Gray's-Inn, M.DCCLII [1752].
Available via Biodiversity Heritage Library @ https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/56071244

Hill, John. "Aranea." Urania, or, A Compleat View of the Heavens, Containing the Antient and Modern Astronomy, in Form of a Dictionary. London: T. Gardner, M.DCC.LIV [1754].
Available via Google Books @ https://www.google.com/books/edition/_/lzigAAAAMAAJ?hl=en
Available via Internet Archive @ https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_lzigAAAAMAAJ/page/n46/mode/1up

Hill, John. An History of Animals: Containing Descriptions of the Birds, Beasts, Fishes, and Insects, of the Several Parts of the World; and Including Accounts of the Several Classes of Animalcules, Visible Only by the Assistance of Microscopes. London: Printed for Thomas Osborne, in Gray's-Inn, M.DCCLII [1752].
Available via Biodiversity Heritage Library @ https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/56071277

Hill, John. "Insects Without Wings." Plate 2, opposite page 30. An History of Animals: Containing Descriptions of the Birds, Beasts, Fishes, and Insects, of the Several Parts of the World; and Including Accounts of the Several Classes of Animalcules, Visible Only by the Assistance of Microscopes. London: Printed for Thomas Osborne, in Gray's-Inn, M.DCCLII [1752].
Available via Biodiversity Heritage Library @ https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/56071239

Hill, John. Urania, or, A Compleat View of the Heavens, Containing the Antient and Modern Astronomy, in Form of a Dictionary. London: T. Gardner, M.DCC.LIV [1754].
Available via Google Books @ https://www.google.com/books/edition/_/lzigAAAAMAAJ?hl=en
Available via Internet Archive @ https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_lzigAAAAMAAJ/

Hill, John, M.D. [Urania]. A New Astronomical Dictionary, or, A Compleat View of the Heavens Containing Antient and Modern Astronomy Illustrated with a Great Number of Figures. London: T. Gardner, MDCCLXVIII [1768].
Available via Internet Archive @ https://archive.org/details/bim_eighteenth-century_urania-a-new-astronom_hill-john-m-d-calli_1768/

Hill, T.G. "John Hill 1716-1775." Pages 84-107. In: F.W. (Francis Wall) Oliver, ed., Makers of British Botany; A Collection of Biographies by Living Botanists. Cambridge [UK]: University Press, 1913.
Available via Biodiversity Heritage Library @ https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/1073689

Laundon, J.R. (Jack Rodney). "The date of birth of Sir John Hill (1714-1775)." Archives of Natural History, vol. 10 (April 1981): 65-66.
Available via Edinburgh University Press (EUP) @ https://www.euppublishing.com/doi/10.3366/anh.1981.10.1.65

Marriner, Derdriu. "English Naturalist John Hill Introduced 15 Constellations in 1754." Earth and Space News. Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2023.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2023/08/english-naturalist-john-hill-introduced.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "English Naturalist John Hill Named Eel Constellation Anguilla in 1754." Earth and Space News. Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2023.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2023/08/english-naturalist-john-hill-named-eel.html

Oliver, F.W. (Francis Wall), ed. Makers of British Botany; A Collection of Biographies by Living Botanists. Cambridge [UK]: University Press, 1913.
Available via Biodiversity Heritage Library @ https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/1073430

Ridpath, Ian. "Chapter Four: Obsolete Constellations." Star Tales.
Available @ http://www.ianridpath.com/startales/startales4.html

Sassarini, Iacopo. "53 Virginis." The Sky Live > Constellations > Virgo.
Available @ https://theskylive.com/sky/stars/53-virginis-star

Sassarini, Iacopo. "55 Virginis." The Sky Live > Constellations > Virgo.
Available @ https://theskylive.com/sky/stars/55-virginis-star

Sassarini, Iacopo. "57 Virginis." The Sky Live > Constellations > Virgo.
Available @ https://theskylive.com/sky/stars/57-virginis-star

Sassarini, Iacopo. "61 Virginis." The Sky Live > Constellations > Virgo.
Available @ https://theskylive.com/sky/stars/61-virginis-star

Sassarini, Iacopo. "63 Virginis." The Sky Live > Constellations > Virgo.
Available @ https://theskylive.com/sky/stars/63-virginis-star

Sassarini, Iacopo. "68 Virginis." The Sky Live > Constellations > Virgo.
Available @ https://theskylive.com/sky/stars/68-virginis-star

Sassarini, Iacopo. "69 Virginis." The Sky Live > Constellations > Virgo.
Available @ https://theskylive.com/sky/stars/69-virginis-star

Sassarini, Iacopo. "75 Virginis." The Sky Live > Constellations > Virgo.
Available @ https://theskylive.com/sky/stars/75-virginis-star

Sassarini, Iacopo. "83 Virginis." The Sky Live > Constellations > Virgo.
Available @ https://theskylive.com/sky/stars/83-virginis-star

Sassarini, Iacopo. "87 Virginis." The Sky Live > Constellations > Virgo.
Available @ https://theskylive.com/sky/stars/87-virginis-star

Sassarini, Iacopo. "γ Virginis (gamma Virginis)." The Sky Live > Constellations > Virgo.
Available @ https://theskylive.com/sky/stars/gamma-virginis-star

Stoppa, Felice. "John Hill: Urania: A Compleat View of the Heavens; containing the Ancient and Modern Astronomy, in form of a Dictionary, London 1754." Atlas Coelestis.
Available @ http://www.atlascoelestis.com/Hill.htm

Woodruff, Lorande Loss. "The Versatile Sir John Hill, M.D." The American Naturalist, vol. LX [60], no. 670 (September-October 1926): 417-442.
Available via The University of Chicago Press Journals @ https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/toc/an/1926/60/670
Available via The University of Chicago Press Journals @ https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/pdf/10.1086/280114