Astronomia Crystallina - 1670 - Rare English anti-copernican tract arguing for a geocentric solar system - With fold out Diagram - No copies recorded at auction

Rare English anti-copernican tract arguing that the earth was at the centre of the solar system - With fold out Diagram of the Solar-system

No copies in auction records. 8 copies only described in institutions by USTC.

"Astronomia Crystallina: Or, A new and clear way to know and behold all the heavenly motions plainly, as through a crystal glass. Far more easie and perspicuous, than any before extant. Composed according to the best observations, and most rational grounds of art. By J.H. a lover of truth and mathematical demonstrations.

London, Printed for the author, 1670."

TP,[1],1-18,[1],fold out diagram in two parts,[1]  (Missing A1 - a preliminary leaf before the title page with text)

Condition: Early 20th century simple green binding. Toning throughout, pages trimmed at upper margin closely without loss. Stain to reverse of central title page where old ownership name erased. Scattered marks to pages and a small pin hole through the outer central margin of plates. Folding diagrams complete but small loss to second loose diagram.

This 1670 tract by J.H. - an anonymous London author - promotes a Geocentric view of the solar system, going against Copernicus's updated view of a heliocentric system. It is quite a late example of a geocentric model, given Copernicus published his famous 1543 "De revolutionibus orbium coelestium" almost 150 years before this work. The title refers to the Ptolemaic view of the universe, in which the planets were thought to be embedded in crystalline spheres revolving around the earth, while the earth remained still. It is possible that the "J.H." referred to in the title is John Heymer, an English Astronomer and Philosopher.

J.H states 

"Courteous Readers...Having observed the many Contests and Contradictions that have been among Authors, both Ancient and Modern, concerning the Heavenly Motions, some declaring, that the Earth was the Centre, and that the whole Frame of the Heavens did run whirling about it in Twenty four hours: Others reproving of this, and saying, that the Sun was the Centre, and that the Earth did run whirling about the Sun: Both which, in my judgement, seemed very absurd"

and later after his text:

" Having now declared the Absurd errors of Ptolemy, who deluded himself and the world with his doctrine, through so many ages and generations before Copernicus; and Copernicus, who reproved him for a great erro[u]r, and in the mean while did seek to delude the world with a greater erro[u]r himself, as hath been before declared and sufficiently confuted."

J.H. then goes on to promote a geocentric model in which the planets rotate around the sun, which in turn rotates around the earth. This is demonstrated with the fold out diagram where the Earth is the central orb which the sun orbits. At the outside of the large diagram is the firmament with the astrological symbols of the star signs and the stars outside of this. The smaller separate semicircle is designed to be attached to the large diagram by a short piece of string attached to the central earth. It shows the sun and its orbiting planets - Mercury and Venus being the inner planets, while Mars, Jupiter and Saturn are the outer rings. This rotating semicircle can then demonstrate the sun and planets orbiting the earth. This hybrid model was promoted by Tycho Brahe, and is often termed a Tychonic or Geoheliocentric System.

This work is rare with no copies recorded on auction records. USTC (3086864) states 8 copies only in institutions (one of which may be a duplicate record).

Reference: J.H. and the Astronomia Crystallina - Grant McColley. Annals of Science 1939 4:3 pp319-321