Comets have always aroused wonder and excitement
when they have appeared in the sky above us. They have been recorded in
images and text for several thousand years in cultures as diverse as Ancient
Greek, Aztec, Babylonian, Chinese, Egyptian, Islamic, and Native American.
Early on they were thought to be atmospheric phenomena that predicted terrible
occurrences like war, storms, and plague. Specifics of color, shape, and
which constellations the comet progressed through were the keys to how their
meanings were interpreted.
From-- De cometis: or, A Discourse touching the Nature and Effects of Comets, &c.
by John Gadbury; London, 1665.
At the end of the 16th century, astronomers
became increasingly interested in explanations for the presence of comets,
postulating various theories about their nature and motion. Early on, there
was much heated discussion about whether comets existed in a region above
or below the moon. Once they were determined to be celestial bodies by several
astronomers, including Tycho Brahe in 1577, the search for an explanation
of their motion began. By the end of the 17th century, Edmund Halley realized
that comets orbited the sun under the influence of its gravity. Subsequent
astronomers devised ways to calculate their orbits precisely.
From-- A Letter upon Comets by Peter Louis Morceau
de Maupertuis as translated by Charles Burney in An Essay towards a history
of the Principal Comets that have appeared since the year 1742; London,
1769.
This exhibition focuses on the development
of Western European ideas about the nature of comets and cometary motion
as seen through prints and book illustration of the 16th century through
the 19th century. Using the visual imagery of historical works, Comets through
the Ages outlines the progression from early misconceptions about comets
through the development of accurate theories. These amazing illustrations
range from diagrams positioning the paths of comets within the celestial
sphere, to depictions of the shapes of comets, to scenes showing human responses
to the spectacle of a comet's appearance. All the works on display in this
exhibition are part of the Adler's History of Astronomy Collection, which
includes one of the largest collections of comet books and related printed
matter in the world. Today we know much more about the phenomena of comets,
yet when we look at comets like Hale-Bopp, we can still understand the excitement
and wonder people have felt throughout history.Plates
