Az északi fény első tudományos leírása
The First Scientific Description of the Aurora borealis
Marcello Squarcialupi: De coeli ardore (1580)
Author(s): Miklós Kázmér, Gábor TimárSubject(s): Cultural history, 16th Century
Published by: Erdélyi Múzeum-Egyesület
Keywords: aurora borealis; Marcello Squarcialupi; Transylvania; Hungary; De coeli ardore; English translation; early modern science; Protestantism; Unitarian
Summary/Abstract: The first scientific treatise on aurora borealis was published by Marcello Squarcialupi, an Italian medical doctor working in the court of the Hungarian Prince of Transylvania. His book, De coeli ardore described the aurora of 10 September 1580 in great detail, providing exact data from his personal observations on the time, direction, shape, colour and variability. He invoked a rational explanation, bringing up only natural causes, and confronted these with the ruling Aristotelian view. The original Latin text describing the aurora is provided with an English translation.
Journal: Erdélyi Múzeum
- Issue Year: LXXIX/2017
- Issue No: 1
- Page Range: 82-87
- Page Count: 6
- Language: Hungarian