Coelum Stellatum Christianum

The Coelum Stellatum Christianum is a star atlas published in 1627 by Julius Schiller (c. 1580–1627), with the collaboration of Johann Bayer (1572–1625). In the treatise, which was published by Andreas Aperger at Augsburg during the same year as Schiller's death, pagan constellations were replaced with biblical figures and Christian motifs. Schiller replaced the zodiac constellations with the Twelve Apostles, the northern constellations with New Testament figures, and the southern constellations with Old Testament figures.^[1]

Coelum Stellatum Christianum

Cover of Coelum Stellatum Christianum
Author	Julius Schiller, Johann Bayer
Illustrator	Lucas Kilian
Language	Latin
Subject	Uranography
Publisher	Andreas Aperger
Publication date	1627

The planets, the Sun, and the Moon were also replaced by biblical figures:^[1]

• The Sun is replaced by Jesus Christ.
• The Moon is replaced Mary.
• Mercury is replaced by Elijah.
• Venus is replaced by John the Baptist.
• Mars is replaced by Joshua.
• Jupiter is replaced by Moses.
• Saturn is replaced by Adam.

The engravings in the atlas were by Lucas Kilian.

Constellations

New Testament

In general, New Testament figures and motifs correspond with constellations located to the north of the ecliptic:

No.	IAU constellation	Coelum Stellatum Christianum (English)	Coelum Stellatum Christianum (Latin)[2]	Image
I	Ursa Minor	Archangel Michael	Sancti Michaelis Archangeli
II	Ursa Major	Barque of Saint Peter	Naviculæ S. Petri Apostoli
III	Draco	Massacre of the Innocents	Sanctorum Innocentum Puerorum
IV	Cepheus	Saint Stephen	Sancti Stephani Protomaryris
V	Bootes	Pope Sylvester I	Sancti Silvestri Pontificis Max
VI	Coma Berenices	Flagellation of Christ	Flagelli XPI Domini
VII	Corona Borealis	Crown of Thorns	Coronæ XPI Spineæ
VIII	Hercules	Magi	Sanctorum Trium Regum
IX	Lyra	Nativity	Præsepii Salvatoris Christi
X	Cygnus	Saint Helena	Cum Eius Inventrice S. Helena
XI	Cassiopeia	Mary Magdalene	Sanctæ Mariæ Magdalenæ
XII	Perseus	Paul of Tarsus	Sancti Pauli Apostoli
XIII	Auriga	Jerome	Sancti Hieroymi Ecclesiæ Doctoris
XIV	Ophiuchus	Saint Benedict among the brambles	Sancti Patris Benedicti Inter Spinas
	Serpens	Brambles surrounding Saint Benedict
XV	Aquila	Catherine of Alexandria	Sanctæ Catarinæ Virginis
	Sagitta	Holy Lance	Clavorum XPI Crucifixi
XVI	Delphinus	Water jug of the wedding at Cana	Hydriæ Canæ
	Equuleus	Rosa Mystica	Rose Mysticæ
XVII	Pegasus	Archangel Gabriel	Sancti Gabrielis Archangelæ
XVIII	Andromeda	Holy Sepulchre	Sepulchri XPI Triumphatoris
XIX	Triangulum	Papal tiara of Saint Peter	Mitræ Pontificalis S. Petri
XXXII	Cetus	Saint Anne	Annæ Parentum Deiparæ
		Saint Joachim	Sanctorum Joachimi
XXXIV	Orion	Joseph of Nazareth	Sancti Joseph Viri Mariæ

Old Testament

In general, Old Testament figures and motifs were applied to constellations to the south of the ecliptic:

No.	IAU constellation	Coelum Stellatum Christianum (English)	Coelum Stellatum Christianum (Latin)[2]	Image
XXXIII	Eridanus	Crossing of the Red Sea	Transitus Israel Nempe per Mare Rubrum
XXXV	Lepus	Gideon	Velleris Gideonis
	Columba	Noah's dove	Columbæ Noachi
XXXVI	Canis Major	David	Sancti Regis Davidis
XXXVII	Canis Minor	Lamb of God	Agni Paschalis
XXXVIII	Puppis, Carina, Vela, Pyxis (Argo Navis)	Noah's Ark	Archæ Patriarchæ Noachi
XXXIX	Hydra	Jordan River (not to be confused with Jordanus)	Iordanis Fluvii
XL	Crater, Corvus	Ark of the Covenant	Sanctæ Arcæ Foederis
XLI	Centaurus	Abraham and Isaac	Sanctorum Patriarcharum Abrahami et Isaaci
XLII	Lupus	Jacob	Sancti Israelis Sive Jacobi Patriarchæ
XLIII	Ara	Showbread Table	Altaris Thymiamatis
	Corona Australis	Crown of Solomon	Diadematis Regis Salomonis
XLIV	Piscis Austrinus	Barrel of the widow of Zarephath	Hydriæ Farinæ Sarepthanæ Vidvæ
XLV	Grus, Phoenix	Aaron	Aaronis Summi Sacerodotis
XLVI	Pavo, Indus	Job	Servi Dei Iob
XLVII	Musca	Eve	Evæ Matris Cumctorum Viventium
	Triangulum Australe	Tau cross	Signi Mystici Tav
XLVIII	Volans, Dorado	Abel	Abbelis Iusti
XLIX	Tucana, Hydrus	Archangel Raphael	Sancti Raphaelis Archangeli

Apostles

The twelve zodiac signs were replaced by the Twelve Apostles, with Judas Iscariot excluded and replaced by Saint Matthias:

No.	IAU constellation	Coelum Stellatum Christianum (English)	Coelum Stellatum Christianum (Latin)[2]	Image
XX	Aries	Simon Peter	Sancti Petri Principus Apostolorum
XXI	Taurus	Andrew the Apostle	Sancti Andreæ Apostoli
XXII	Gemini	James the Elder	Sancti Iacobi Maioris Apostoli
XXIII	Cancer	John the Apostle	Sancti Ioannis Apostoli et Evangelistæ
XXIV	Leo	Thomas the Apostle	Sancti Thomæ Apostoli
XXV	Virgo	James the Younger	Sancti Jacobi Minoris Apostoli
XXVI	Libra	Philip the Apostle	Sancti Philippi Apostoli
XXVII	Scorpius	Bartholomew the Apostle	Sancti Bartholoomæ Apostoli
XXVIII	Sagittarius	Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist	Sancti Matthæi Apostoli et Evangelistæ
XXIX	Capricornus	Simon the Zealot	Sancti Simonis Zelotis Apostoli
XXX	Aquarius	Judas Thaddeus	Sancti Ivdæ Thadæi Apostoli
XXXI	Piscis	Matthias the Apostle	Sancti Matthiæ Apostoli

See also

• Uranometria
• Harmonia Macrocosmica

References

1. Schiller, Julius; Bayer, Johann (1627). Coelum Stellatum Christianum (in Latin). Augsburg: Andreas Aperger.
2. "Coelum Stellatum Christianum: Constellations based on Biblical themes and characters". Judy & Volker. Retrieved 2024-02-24.

External links

• Coelum Stellatum Christianum (1627), from the Library of Congress
• Atlas Coelestis