The life, times, instruments and observations of Johannes Hevelius born 1611

Hevelius is arguably the best and most productive observational astronomer of the 17th century. Despite not being a “professional” scientist he made several important discoveries using for the most part self-made equipment in his home observatory which was the best equipped in the world at the time – pre-dating both Greenwich and Paris Observatories by at least two decades. Hevelius founded the branch of science now known as “selenography” – the mapping and study of the Moon’s surface features.

His remarkable second wife Catherina Elisabetha Koopmann who became his faithful skilful assistant, is probably the earliest known female astronomer – predating Caroline Herschel by over a century. Catherina directly contributed to his observations then collated, edited and published his two largest works after Hevelius’ death in 1687.

Les Dalrymple

is a longtime member of SASI and is a past President of our society. He is a prolific recorder and documenter of all things astronomical in the celestial sphere and shares his passion for them regularly on the SASI forum website. He has contributed many written articles to the American Sky and Telescope magazine as well as the Australian version of Sky and Telescope.