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Authorised form of nameHevelius; Johannes (1611 - 1687); astronomer
Other forms of nameJohann
Hevelius, Johann
Heweliusz, Jan
Other forms of surnameHewelcke
Dates1611 - 1687
NationalityPolish
Place of birthDanzig [Gdansk], Poland, Europe
Date of birth28 January 1611
Place of deathDanzig [GdaDsk], Poland, Europe
Date of death28 January 1687
OccupationAstronomer
Research fieldAstronomy
Instrument making
ActivityEducation:
Danzig Gymnasium; School at Bydgoszcz; Leyden (admitted 1630)
Career:
Visited London (1631) and Paris (1632-1634); worked in his father's brewery for two years and ran it after his father's death (1649); Magistrate (1641); City Counsellor (1651); built an observatory in his house, which was destroyed by a fire (1679) along with his instruments, workshop, printing press and books and papers, and reconstructed, though with inferior instruments (1681)
Membership categoryFellow
Date of election30/03/1664
Age at election53
ProposerSir Robert Moray
RSActivityCommittee and panels:
Astronomical and Optical Committee (1664)
Other Royal Society activityElected on the same day he was proposed; Acted as a frequent correspondent to the Society on astronomical matters, including the sending of star catalogues
RelationshipsParents: Abraham Hevelius and Kordula Hecker
Married: 1) Katharine Rebeschke; 2) Elisabeth Koopmann
PublishedWorksRCN: 44020
RCN: 44018
RCN: 44017
RCN: 44019
RCN: 45076
RCN: 44016
RCN: 44014
RCN: 44015
RCN: 43854
RCN: 43853
RCN: 44021
OtherInfoHevelius is frequently considered the founder of lunar topography and his work 'Selenographia sive Lunae Descriptio' (1647) elevated his international reputation. Some names he gave to lunar features are still in use to day and several constellations published in his catalogue of 1,564 stars are now accepted. His catalogue and celestial atlas were published together posthumously under the title 'Prodromus Astronomiae' in 1690. This publication was undertaken by his wife Elisabeth, who assisted Hevelius in his observations and is considered one of the first female astronomers.
Related imagesDiscover a selection of related images in our picture library
Image

Hevelius J, IM006131.jpg

SourceSources:
Bulloch's Roll; DSB; Hunter; Encyclopaedia Britannica
References:
G H Turnbull, 'Samuel Hartlib's Influence on the Early History of the Royal Society' in NR 1953 vol 10 pp 101-130
Sir Harold Spencer Jones, 'Halley as an Astronomer' in NR 1956-57 vol 12 pp 175-192
E N da C Andrade, 'The Birth and Early Days of the Philosophical Transactions' in NR 1965 vol 20 pp 9-27
Albert Van Helden, 'Christopher Wren's De Corpore Saturni' in NR 1968 vol 23 pp 213-229
N S Hetherington, 'The Hevelius-Auzout Controversy' in NR 1972-3 vol 27 pp 103-106
Marie Boas Hall, 'The Royal Society's Role in the Diffusion of Information in the Seventeenth Century' in NR 1974-5 vol 29 pp 173-192
P B Wood, 'Hevelius's Business: An Unpublished Letter from Henry Oldenburg to the Earl of Tweeddale' in NR 1989 vol 43 pp 25-29
Sir Alan Cook, 'Ladies in the Scientific Revolution' in NR 1997 vol 51 pp 1-12
Sir Alan Cook, 'Our Foreign Correspondence' in NR 1999 vol 53 pp 179-182
Notes:
Proposed by Sir Robert Moray. Alternative version of surname appears in R and BR, alternative version of Christian name in Hunter.
Virtual International Authority Filehttp://viaf.org/viaf/73883445
CodeNA8253
Archives associated with this Fellow
RefNoTitleDate
IM/005889Hevelius, Johannesnd
IM/005405Hevelius, Johannesnd
EL/H2/60Observations of the new occultations of fixed stars by Johannes Hevelius1683
DM/5/53Fair copy of a diploma for Johannes Hevelius, marking his election as a Fellow of the Royal Society15 April 1664
RBO/6/125Figure to show the occultation of Jupiter on 10 April 1686 by Johannis Heveliusnd
LBO/2/78Copy letter from Henry Oldenburg, London, to Johannes Hevelius11 May 1668
LBO/30/30Copy letter from Johannes Hevelius, Gdansk, to Mr Oldenburg29 September 1668
CLP/20/56Letter, Concerning Hevelius' weather clock from Robert Hooke to [Johannes] Hevelius 29 November [?]
EL/W1/2Letter, from John Wallis to Johannes Hevelius, dated at Oxford30 March 1663
EL/F1/116Copy of a letter, from John Flamsteed to Johannes Hevelius1675
EL/H2/64Observations of the lunar eclipse in 1685 with table by Johannes Hevelius1685
EL/F1/58Note on the telescopes of Tycho and Hevelius by John Flamsteedc 1669
CLP/8i/20Paper, calculations to show 'several angles of the vertical circle with the Ecliplick at the suns center' at certain times by T S[17th Century]
CLP/8i/15/2Table, solar eclipse by Johannes Hevelius1666
CLP/8i/26/1Manuscript, 'Description of a fiery meteor seen at Danzig' from Johannes Hevelius to to Henry Oldenburg1671
CLP/8i/15Paper, 'Eclipsis solaris observata 1666 die 2 July' [Observations of the solar eclipse on 2 July 1666] by Johannes Hevelius1666
EL/H2/67Letter, from Johannes Hevelius [to the Royal Society], dated at Danzig (Gdansk)17 September 1686
CLP/19/16Paper, 'Inquirenda a Hevelio' [Enquiries for Johannes Hevelius] by the Royal SocietyOctober 1665
EL/H2/47Account of the occultation of Mars and of certain stars made on 1 September 1676 by Johannes Hevelius1676
CLP/8i/38/3Diagram Lunar eclipse by Hevelius1690
EL/H2/57Note, 'Succinta Historiola De tribus Conjunctionibus magnis Saturni scilicet Jovis nec non Martis' by Johannes Hevelius1683
EL/O1/11aLetter, from Henry Oldenburg to Johannes Heveliusnd
EL/H2/66Letter, from Johannes Hevelius [to the Royal Society]9 July 1686
EL/H2/55Account of the lunar eclipse on 21 and 22 February 1682 by Johannes Hevelius1682
EL/H2/59Account of a comet observed in 1683 by Johannes Hevelius1683
EL/H2/61Letter, from Johannes Hevelius to Francis Aston, dated at Danzig (Gdansk)4 April 1685
EL/H2/41Account of the lunar eclipse on 1 January 1676 by Johannes Hevelius1676
EL/H2/65Letter, from Johannes Hevelius [to the Royal Society]17 April 1686
EL/H2/12Letter, from Johannes Hevelius to Henry Oldenburg, dated at Danzig (Gdansk)29 October 1666
EL/H2/43Letter, from Johannes Hevelius to Henry Oldenburg, dated at Danzig (Gdansk)1676
EL/H2/13Letter, from Johannes Hevelius to Henry Oldenburg, dated at Danzig (Gdansk)18 December 1666
EL/H2/49Letter, from Johannes Hevelius to John Flamsteed, dated at Danzig (Gdansk)2 January 1677
EL/H2/56Letter, from Johannes Hevelius to John Flamsteed1682
EL/H2/58Letter, from Johannes Hevelius to Francis Aston, dated at Danzig (Gdansk)30 September 1683
EL/H2/24Letter, from Johannes Hevelius to Henry Oldenburg, dated at Danzig (Gdansk)4 March 1671
EL/O1/11Letter, from Henry Oldenburg to Johannes Hevelius, dated at London27 May 1664
EL/H2/34Letter, from Johannes Hevelius to Henry Oldenburg7 April 1674
EL/H2/42Account of the solar eclipse observed at Danzig (Gdansk) on 23 June 1675 by Johannes Hevelius1675
EL/H2/26Letter, from Johannes Hevelius to Henry Oldenburg, dated at Danzig (Gdansk)19 June 1671
EL/W2/26Extract of a letter, from John Wallis to Johannes Hevelius31 December 1673
EL/W2/16Letter, from John Wallis to Johannes Hevelius, dated at Oxford31 December 1673
EL/H2/37Letter, from Johannes Hevelius to Henry Oldenburg18 August 1674
EL/H2/53Letter, from Johannes Hevelius to Edmond Halley, dated at Danzig (Gdansk)9 January 1682
EL/H2/9Letter, from Johannes Hevelius to Henry Oldenburg, dated at Danzig (Gdansk)16 January 1666
EL/H2/5Letter, from Johannes Hevelius to Henry Oldenburg, dated at Danzig (Gdansk)1 June 1665
EL/O1/33Letter, from Henry Oldenburg to Johannes Hevelius24 August 1666
EL/H2/50Letter, from Johannes Hevelius to Henry Oldenburg, dated at Danzig (Gdansk)1677
EL/H2/31Account of a solar eclipse observed at Danzig (Gdansk) on 22 August 1672 by Johannes Hevelius10 June 1672
EL/H2/62Letter, from Johannes Hevelius, dated at Danzig (Gdansk) to Francis Aston19 May 1685
EL/H2/46Letter, from Johannes Hevelius to Henry Oldenburg, dated at Danzig (Gdansk)15 September 1676
EL/O2/139Letter, from Henry Oldenburg to Johannes Hevelius, dated at London9 January 1674
EL/H2/36Letter, from Johannes Hevelius to Henry Oldenburg, dated at Danzig (Gdansk)26 March 1674
EL/O2/140Letter, from Henry Oldenburg to Johannes Heveliusnd
EL/H2/35Letter, from Johannes Hevelius to Henry Oldenburg, dated at Danzig (Gdansk)9 May 1674
EL/H2/10Letter, from Johannes Hevelius to Henry Oldenburg, dated at Danzig (Gdansk)28 June 1666
EL/O1/16Letter, from Henry Oldenburg to Johannes Hevelius3 August 1665
EL/H2/40Letter, from Johannes Hevelius to Henry Oldenburg, dated at Danzig (Gdansk)31 August 1675
EL/H2/63Letter, from Johannes Hevelius to Francis Aston, dated at Danzig (Gdansk)29 December 1685
EL/H2/8Letter, from Johannes Hevelius to Henry Oldenburg29 September 1665
EL/H2/52Letter, from Johannes Hevelius to Edmond Halley, dated at Danzig (Gdansk)1681
EL/H2/4Transcribed extract of a letter, from Johannes Hevelius to Henry Oldenburg1665
EL/H2/28Letter, from Johannes Hevelius to Henry Oldenburg1671
EL/O2/32Letter, from Henry Oldenburg to Johannes Hevelius, dated at London8 September 1670
EL/O2/169Letter, from Henry Oldenburg to Johannes Hevelius, dated at London9 April 1677
EL/H2/44Copy of a letter, from Johannes Hevelius to John Flamsteed1676
EL/H2/3Transcription of a letter, from Johannes Hevelius, dated at Danzig (Gdansk) to Henry Oldenburg1665
EL/H2/23Letter, from Johannes Hevelius to Henry Oldenburg, dated at Danzig (Gdansk)31 October 1670
EL/H2/27Letter, from Johannes Hevelius to Henry Oldenburg, dated at Danzig (Gdansk)1671
EL/H2/17Letter, from Johannes Hevelius to Henry Oldenburg, dated at Danzig (Gdansk)20 November 1668
CLP/8i/15/1Manuscript, 'Eclipsis solaris observata 1666 die 2 July' [Observations of the solar eclipse on 2 July 1666] by Johannes Hevelius1666
EL/H2/33Letter, from Johannes Hevelius to Henry Oldenburg, dated at Danzig (Gdansk)23 August 1673
EL/O1/76Letter, from Henry Oldenburg to Johannes Hevelius30 July 1668
EL/H2/21Letter, from Johannes Hevelius to Henry Oldenburg, dated at Danzig (Gdansk)5 July 1670
EL/H2/54Letter, from Johannes Hevelius to Thomas Gale, dated at Danzig (Gdansk)9 January 1682
EL/O1/9Letter, from Henry Oldenburg to Johannes Hevelius, dated at London29 April 1664
EL/H2/1Letter, from Johannes Hevelius to Henry Oldenburg, dated at Danzig (Gdansk)4 January 1664
EL/O1/38Letter, from Henry Oldenburg to Johannes Hevelius, dated at London30 March 1666
EL/F1/118Copy of a letter, from John Flamsteed to Johannes Hevelius1676
CLP/8i/27/1Manuscript, computation of the Sun and Moon from the Philolaick tables by Ismael Bullialdus1671
CLP/8i/26/2Drawing, Fiery meteor by Johannes Hevelius1671
CLP/8i/27/2Diagram and philolaic tables by Ismael Bullialdus1671
CLP/8i/27Paper, computation of the Sun and Moon from the Philolaick tables by Ismael Bullialdus1671
CLP/8i/40/3Drawing, lunar eclipse by George Christopher Eimmart1690
CLP/8i/26Letter, 'Description of a fiery meteor seen at Danzig' from Johannes Hevelius to to Henry Oldenburg1671
EL/H2/39Account of the lunar eclipse on 11 January 1675 by Johannes Hevelius1675
EL/O1/23List of enquiries for Johannes Hevelius by Henry Oldenburg1666
EL/O2/8Letter, from Henry Oldenburg to Johannes Hevelius2 August 1669
EL/O2/89Letter, from Henry Oldenburg to Johannes Hevelius, dated at London5 July 1672
EL/H2/11Letter, from Johannes Hevelius to Henry Oldenburg, dated at Danzig (Gdansk)3 July 1666
EL/H2/16Letter, from Johannes Hevelius to Henry Oldenburg, dated at Danzig (Gdansk)29 September 1668
EL/H2/2Letter, from Johannes Hevelius to Henry Oldenburg, dated at Danzig (Gdansk)10 September 1664
EL/H2/20Letter, from Johannes Hevelius to Henry Oldenburg, dated at Danzig (Gdansk)21 March 1669
EL/H2/45Letter, from Johannes Hevelius to Henry Oldenburg, dated at Danzig (Gdansk)26 June 1676
EL/H2/30Letter, from Johannes Hevelius to Henry Oldenburg, dated at Danzig (Gdansk)10 June 1672
EL/H2/48Letter, from Johannes Hevelius to Henry Oldenburg, dated at Danzig (Gdansk)2 January 1677
EL/O1/13Letter, from Henry Oldenburg to Johannes Hevelius, dated at LondonNovember 1664
EL/O1/84Letter, from Henry Oldenburg to Johannes Hevelius, dated at London28 October 1668
EL/W1/5Letter, from John Wallis to Johannes Hevelius, dated at Oxford5 April 1664
EL/B1/126Letter, from Michael Behm to Johannes Hevelius, dated at Gedani [Gdansk, Poland]11 November 1667
EL/H2/15Letter, from Johannes Hevelius to Henry Oldenburg, dated at Danzig (Gdansk)13 June 1668
EL/H2/32Letter, from Johannes Hevelius to Henry Oldenburg, dated at Danzig (Gdansk)29 October 1672
EL/H2/19Letter, from Johannes Hevelius to Henry Oldenburg, dated at Danzig (Gdansk)1668
EL/H2/51Letter, from Johannes Hevelius to Henry Oldenburg, dated at Danzig (Gdansk)13 May 1677
EL/O1/10Letter, from Henry Oldenburg to Johannes Hevelius, dated at London27 May 1664
EL/O2/34Letter, from Henry Oldenburg to Johannes Hevelius, dated at London21 November 1670
CLP/19/26Copies of three letters sent by Johannes Hevelius to Henry Oldenburg3 February 1667-6 July 1667
EL/H2/7Letter, from Johannes Hevelius to Henry Oldenburg, dated at Danzig (Gdansk)12 September 1665
EL/H2/14Letter, from Johannes Hevelius to Henry Oldenburg, dated at Danzig (Gdansk)21 October 1667
EL/H2/18Letter, from Johannes Hevelius to Henry Oldenburg, dated at Danzig (Gdansk)1668
EL/H2/22Letter, from Johannes Hevelius to Henry Oldenburg, dated at Danzig (Gdansk)27 August 1670
EL/H2/25Letter, from Johannes Hevelius to Henry Oldenburg, dated at Danzig (Gdansk)1 May 1671
EL/H2/29Letter, from Johannes Hevelius to Henry Oldenburg, dated at Danzig (Gdansk)9 March 1672
EL/H2/38Letter, from Johannes Hevelius to Henry Oldenburg, dated at Danzig (Gdansk)1675
EL/O1/2Letter, from Henry Oldenburg to Johannes Hevelius, dated at London7 January 1663
EL/O1/12Letter, from Henry Oldenburg to Johannes Hevelius, dated at London11 May 1664
EL/O1/19Draft letter, from Henry Oldenburg to Johannes Hevelius, dated at London24 November 1665
EL/O1/22Letter, from Henry Oldenburg to Johannes Hevelius30 March 1666
EL/O1/41Letter, from Henry Oldenburg to Johannes Hevelius, dated at London27 February 1666
EL/O1/66Letter, from Henry Oldenburg to Johannes Hevelius, dated at London11 May 1668
EL/O1/92Letter, from Henry Oldenburg to Johannes Hevelius, dated at London11 December 1668
EL/O2/58Letter, from Henry Oldenburg to Johannes Hevelius, dated at London9 November 1671
EL/O2/122Letter, from Henry Oldenburg to Johannes Hevelius, dated at London7 August 1673
EL/O2/129Letter, from Henry Oldenburg to Johannes Hevelius, dated at London5 September 1673
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