Beschreibung:

KEPLER, Johannes (1571-1630) De stella nova in pede serpentarii. Prague: Typis Pauli Sessii, impensis Authoris, 1606. 2 parts. – De stella tertii honoris in cygno, quae us que ad annum M.DC. fuit incognita. Prague: Paulus Sessius, 1606. – Jesu Christi servatoris nostri vero anno natalitio. Frankfurt: Wolfgang Richter, 1606. First edition of Kepler's detailed description of the supernova of October 1604, commissioned by the Emperor, observing the nova's colour, brightness, its distance to the earth and other phenomena. His ‘extensive collection of observations and opinions appeared in a longer work... A subtitle announced it as: 'a book full of astronomical, physical, metaphysical, meteorological and astrological discussions, glorious and unusual.' That it was. Early chapters described the nova's appearance, astrological significance, and possible origin’ (DSB). The work discusses the central position of the sun in the universe and also calculates the size of the universe. The Nova was subsequently named Kepler's Nova or Kepler's star. Two variants of the title-page are recorded, this one with the imprint: ‘Typis Pauli Sessii, impensis Authoris’. No definitive priority has been established but correspondence by Kepler (quoted by Caspar) suggests that the present title-page is the second corrected version, which was Kepler's preferred issue and is much scarcer. Caspar 27; Cinti 17; Houzeau & Lancaster 2843. 4 parts in one volume, quarto (200 x 160mm). 3 separate title-pages, woodcut printer's device on general title, one double-page engraved plate, woodcut diagrams, with final blank (browning as usual, heavy on gatherings X-2A, a few ink stains, tiny single wormholes to title margins, small early paper repairs in Dd2 just touching a letter). Contemporary vellum over boards, title gilt lettered on spine, all edges green (small wormholes at spine, wormtracks in pastedowns).