Tag: History of astronomy

Rare pair of Astronomy themed tokens

On By cornishstargazerIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Tokens were issued in England from 1648. They were used to pay for goods and services – a replacement to coin. This was partly due to the country having no monarchy, Charles I having lost his head, leading to a republic headed up by Oliver Cromwell. How could England have coins when there was no monarchy to put on them? It was also due to the lack of coin available for people to use, leading them to make their own. The practice was outlawed in 1772.

A huge range of tokens were made but I know of only two with an astronomy link. One is in the British Museum  Issued in 1666 by Richard Berry it shows 3 men with astronomical instruments. Possibly depicting a pub called The Astronomers from the dockside in London.

http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=1242148&partId=1&searchText=Astronomy&page=1

The other was issued in Maidstone Kent by Thomas Swinoke and is in the image below. It shows 3 men one with a globe and 2 with scientific instruments, possibly telescopes. It is possible that it depicts the pub the Worlds End.


More information can be found on 17th-century tokens here http://www.thecoppercorner.com/history/17thC_hist.html

A 6 tailed comet

On By cornishstargazerIn Uncategorized2 Comments

On the 1st March 1744 comet C/1743 X1 reached perihelion.  Although only the 6th brightest recorded comet.  It will be remembered for its striking 6 tails which developed.  It reached a blazing apparent magnitude of -7 and was visible during daylight, after it passed by the sun a relatively close 0.2 AU.  It has been suggested that the multiple tails occurred due the at least 3 active nucleus, maybe as the comet tore itself apart during perihelion.

It was spotted by a young Charles Messier on whom it had a great effect and lead him down the road of becoming an astronomer.

Comets as bright as these are rare events.  A similar but more recent example was comet Mcnaught or the great comet of 2007 as it became known.

DeCheseauxklinkenberg