Kepler's Complete Works, Vol. I (Opera Omnia)

the true total eclipse began there 14 minutes later, but ended here 14 minutes earlier; it thus would have lasted from 12:52 until 2:38, namely 1 hour and 46 minutes, exactly as much as I had calculated.

From this it is evident that this time the shadow was illuminated around the outer edge, either by the refracted light original: "gebrochnen schein" of the Sun—concerning which see my The Optical Part of Astronomy original: "Astronomiae pars optica", folio 279, 282 (Volume II, page 304 and following)—or much more likely by a certain matter around the Sun original: "Materi vmb die Sonn her"; likely an early observation of the solar corona or zodiacal light, regarding which see the aforementioned book, folio 300, 301 (Volume II, page 318 and following). And it should be noted that in the year 1588, on March 3, a similar thing was recorded, where the shadow was also too small and the Moon was almost entirely lost within it. For when it is so very dark in the middle, one cannot distinguish the pale light of the Moon from the true sunlight.

To speak astrologically Though a scientist, Kepler was required by his office and the traditions of the time to interpret the "meaning" of celestial events for his patrons., this was a terrifying eclipse, for Saturn and Mars surrounded the Sun and, alongside it, cast an opposition original: "Gegenschein" upon the Moon. Thus, no small omen or significance was to be presumed from this total disappearance of the Moon (which is otherwise unusual). And because it is the process to divide the lands under the Zodiac signs, one should take notice of what happened to which land shortly after an eclipse in this or 그 sign. Thus, the astrologers may henceforth well increase the catalog of lands belonging to Sagittarius and add the Kingdom of Bohemia, and the cities of Prague and Bautzen; for their power, and that of their allies, was lost, exterminated, and brought to nothing in an instant—exactly like this eclipsed Moon—their glory laid low and their wealth turned to plunder. May God have mercy on the poor innocent Christians and restore them to justice. Kepler refers here to the Battle of White Mountain (November 1620), a catastrophic defeat for the Bohemian Estates which effectively ended their independence and devastated the region during the Thirty Years' War.

The other eclipse of the Moon, on November 29 according to the Old Style and December 9 according to the New Style, I observed in Stuttgart in Württemberg alongside Master Friedrich Rüttel, Mathematician, and other assistants. There, the altitudes of the planet Jupiter original: "Jovis", the Bull’s Eye original: "Stiersaug"; refers to the bright star Aldebaran in the constellation Taurus., and the Moon were taken through small quadrants and trients Instruments used for measuring the angular altitude of celestial bodies., as well as through a large instrument that was not yet fully adjusted for the task; hopefully, the time will not be off by more than 1 minute either way.

The Moon was not visible at its rising because of the thick air around the horizon. At 4:54, when it first broke through, 8 digits original: "Zölle" (literally "inches"); in astronomy, these are "digits," a measurement of the eclipsed portion of the lunar or solar diameter. were missing. At 5:16, it was entirely in the shadow, yet lighter toward the descent. At 5:36, the Moon on the side toward the descent was still just as light as the Bull’s Eye next to it. At 6:10, it began to become lighter above toward the left, as if it wanted to break through with the upper part. At 6:30, the bright part turned toward Erichtonius A name for the constellation Auriga, the Charioteer., and this red brightness spread across half of the Moon. We all waited for it to begin becoming truly bright at the top; we did not think that this would have to happen somewhat below. But at 6:57, it began to break through below to the left; that was a strange shape, for it appeared as if a black plowshare or a black pointed cloud separated the upper red-bright part from the other truly light part. The light part moved toward Saturn, but the red part toward the star in the head of Erichtonius. At 7:26, it was over half...