Language:
English
Year of publication:
2021
Titel der Quelle:
Aleph; Historical Studies in Science & Judaism
Angaben zur Quelle:
21,1 (2021) 191-198
Keywords:
Riccioli, Giovanni Battista,
;
Levi ben Gershom,
;
Astronomers
;
Lunar craters
Abstract:
In 1651, the Jesuit astronomer, Giovanni Battista Riccioli (1598–1671), published a map of the Moon with craters named after famous astronomers, without explaining the reasons for his choices. This paper addresses the basis for his decision to include craters named after Levi ben Gerson (1288–1344) and Augustinus Ricius (fl. 1513). It is argued that Riccioli’s only source of information on their astronomical work was a treatise by Ricius which Riccioli cited. There is also a tradition that the crater “Riccius” was named for the Jesuit missionary to China, Matteo Ricci (d. 1610), or that the crater was named in honor of both Matteo and Augustinus.
URL:
Locate this publication in Israeli libraries
Permalink
