Libra astronomica, y philosophica

Creator

Metcalf, Louisa Dexter Sharpe Sigüenza y Góngora, Carlos de Jones, Herschel V Wagner, Henry R

Place

En Mexico

Publisher

Por los herederos de la viuda de BernardoCal deron [sic]

Date

IXI. DC. XC. [sic, i.e. 1690]

Notes

The great comet of 1680, also called C/1680 V1, Kirch's Comet, and Newton's Comet, has the distinction of being the first comet discovered by telescope. It was discovered by Gottfried Kirch in 1680 and became one of the brightest comets of the 17th century

This work is a critical reply to the work of Eusebio Francisco Kino's theory on the great comet of 1680, which appeared in his Exposición astronómica de el cometa, que el año de 1680. por los meses de noviembre, y diziembre, y este año de 1681. por los meses de enero y febrero, se ha visto en todo el mundo, y le ha observado en la ciudad de Cadiz, first printed in Mexico City, 1681. It is also a response to Martin de la Torre's Manifesto Critstiano en favor de los cometas, of which there is no publication history, and which is excerpted in this work

Woodcut printer's device on title page; head and tail pieces; initial

Signatures: pi⁴ (pi1, pi4 versos blank) [sec.]⁴ [par.]⁴ A-Z⁴ 2A²

Local notes

John Carter Brown Library copy imperfect: gatherings A-D are wormed at foot of pages, slightly affecting text

John Carter Brown Library copy acquired as a gift of Louisa Dexter Sharpe Metcalf

John Carter Brown Library copy bound in contemporary full limp vellum; housed in red leather and bookcloth slipcase

Provenance of the John Carter Brown Library copy: Henry Raup Wagner and Herschel Vespasian Jones: information from the JCB bibliographical file; Colegio de San Juan de Puebla: marca de fuego [CCMF, similar to BJML-9007.01]