Who published the Rudolphine Tables and when?
Johannes Kepler published the Rudolphine Tables in September 1627. The first edition consisted of a thousand copies and was completed in Ulm in time for the annual Frankfurt Fair.
Questions about Rudolphine Tables
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Who are the Rudolphine Tables named after?
The Rudolphine Tables are named after Rudolf II, Holy Roman Emperor, in whose employ both Tycho Brahe and Johannes Kepler began work on the tables. By the time of publication in 1627, Rudolf II had been dead for fifteen years, so the book was dedicated to Emperor Ferdinand II.
What observational data do the Rudolphine Tables use?
The tables are based on observations made by Tycho Brahe and his team at the island of Hven observatory during 1576-1596. Brahe's measurements were more precise than any previously available and were made without a telescope using elaborate instruments.
How accurate were the Rudolphine Tables compared to earlier star tables?
For most of the 1,005 stars recorded, the Rudolphine Tables were accurate to within one arc minute and included corrections for atmospheric refraction. They were considerably more precise than the Alphonsine Tables and the 1551 Prutenic Tables, and were sufficiently accurate to predict the 1631 transit of Mercury and the 1639 transit of Venus years in advance.
What is included in the Rudolphine Tables besides star positions?
The Rudolphine Tables include positions for more than 1,400 stars, tables and directions for locating the Moon and the five classical planets, logarithm and antilogarithm tables, worked computational examples, and a world map. The map is notable for being among the first to show Dutch discoveries of Australia's west coast, including Eendracht Land and Dedels Land.
How were the Rudolphine Tables used after publication?
Adam Schall von Bell, a Jesuit missionary in China, used the Rudolphine Tables to complete a reform of the Chinese calendar in 1635. The tables also successfully predicted the transit of Mercury observed by Pierre Gassendi in 1631 and the transit of Venus observed by Jeremiah Horrox in 1639.