Using the Astronomicum Caesareum Book

With its hand-colored illustrations, this splendid book is a feast for the eyes just to leaf through. But it was designed and marketed to meet a specific function: detailed instructions explained to privileged owners-amongst them Tudor King Henry VIII-on how to turn the paper dials according to dates and star signs, to create their own astrological charts and forecasts. Sixteenth-century royalty and scholars alike combined the desire for knowledge with the long-held belief that it could be gathered from the movement of the stars: from predicting one’s health to the weather and ideal moments of susceptibility-or conversely, obtuseness-the heavens provided meaning and guidance in an unstable world.
Featured Artwork: The Astronomicum Caesareum, written by Petrus Apianus (1495-1552), illustrated by Michael Ostendorfer (ca. 1490-1549), Ingolstadt, 1540. Printed text on paper with hand-colored woodcut illustrations, 17 7/8 x 12 11/16 in. (45.4 x 32.3 cm.). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Gift of Herbert N. Straus, 1925 (25.17)
www.metmuseum.org/art/collect...
Director: Kate Farrell
Producer: Bryan Martin
Writers: Ana Matisse Donefer-Hickie, Angelina Ding, and Bryan Martin
Video Editor: Angelina Ding
Camera: Kelly Richardson
Gaffer: Josh Schneiderman
Gaffer Assistant: Jonathan Meija
Production Coordinators: Lela Jenkins, Aurola Wedman Alfaro
Narration: Ana Matisse Donefer-Hickie
Music: Austin Fisher
Post Production Sound: David Raymond
Paper Conservation Conservator: Yana van Dyke
General Manager of Collections: Denny Stone
Thanks to: Elizabeth Cleland, Adam Eaker, Melissa Bell, and Mandy Kritzeck
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© 2022 The Metropolitan Museum of Art

[@kyarimaresuki]

Nice. Today's treats are what I'm here for. But this book is just unusually amazing. It's like an interactive children's book but with a sort of diy contemporary science. Thank you for sharing this with us.

[@Jacob-kq6wb]

Thanks you very Much !!! Great INFORMATION .❤️❤️❤️

[@leemackie8434]

Amazing thank you so much 👏👏👏👏💗💕🇦🇺💗💗💗💗

[@fernandojavierblancoesmori3914]

Gracias por compartir esta gema de la astronomía 🤩

[@altpear]

Fabulous thank you 😍

[@rolybjork29]

I want a copy of this book, No need for calculation. 🎉😮😊

[@LusiaX]

The inscription on titel page is lovelly. It says that Augustinian monastery in Lyon bought this "rare et precieux" book in 1789. Guess did not used it for long. I would like to know more about its past.

[@lfeb]

I would love to buy a modern copy, do you sell them in the gift shop?

[@fuferito]

Is it okay to not believe in any of these charts, yet still wanting to go through them because this is a gorgeous book?

[@SimonSozzi7258]

I think that was the whole point. It's art and history and the earliest attempts at astronomy and science. Alchemy and Astrology become Chemistry and Astronomy.

[@LadyJaggerX3]

Pretty drawings are pretty. No need to ask permission to recognize it. ♡

[@kyarimaresuki]

Of course. It's an amazing work in so many ways, especially considering how much went into it. So much has been appreciated without even having a clue of what was being expressed. Or, we can even dislike a subject very much but love the medium that expresses it. Feel free to appreciate beauty.

[@Trekki200]

As someone who went through a modern school, you shouldn't believe in any of this. It is however still interesting to look at those early attempts at understanding the universe, and I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of the observations made are not too far off, just very oddly interpreted.

[@tobycampbell2739]

@@SimonSozzi7258 no.

[@CooperJeanne]

Wow what a book, they don't make them like that anymore!

[@PaoLovesBeer]

I found it weird that they say Taurus ♉ is the first sign in the zodiac, Aries ♈ is the first, Taurus the second... Just saying 😅 It's a beautiful and super interesting book 🌌✨

[@espiritufati]

Only an Aries would point that out. Lol just playing, you're right though.

[@lemariogo]

Taurus is 1, because in the table, the zodiac starts with 0 for Aries.

[@themarquis336]

We’re so lucky the sCiEntIsT is here to set the record straight!

[@yvettemarshallTWN]

🤩👍🏽

[@OriginalElements5]

Extremely important 2:06 confirmation

[@valeriepaquin-gould2508]

Is that an original copy? Touched without gloves?

[@vanitymarks8798]

I believe the consensus is that gloves can do more harm than good. Some glove fibers can snag on pages and rip them. You lose your sense of fine touch with gloves, so it can be harder to judge how hard you're touching pages. Hand washing throughly before handing the books is recommended over gloves.

[@kyarimaresuki]

Yes, it's not too unusual. It probably is handled infrequently and is kept in great storage. Sometimes, gloves can be cumbersome with pages and actually make handling more cumbersome--and dangerous. I often hate seeing bare hands on old art, but when museum staff is handling, they probably know what is acceptable. What makes me a little more nervous is seeing edutainment personalities do similar things for a camera. Hopefully, there is always a watchful eye.

[@larryo6874]

Gloves only for Rolex watches.😜

[@rafa-lk6lf]

is this book in english anywhere?

[@mariadange06]

Correction: The first sign is Aries not Taurus.

[@rosariomarques1]

Gorgeous book ❤ please wear gloves when touching it !!!!!

[@lafondastrology]

At about 3:30, the narrator says that Taurus is the first sign of the Zodiac, but this isn't accurate. Look back to 3:17 in the video, where you can see the column clearly, and you will see that there are listings for "0". That represents Aries, the first sign, which starts at 0 and goes up to 1. As soon as "1" is reached, you are now in the second sign of the Zodiac, Taurus. So the presenter arrives at the correct sign, but using the wrong rationale. (This is akin to the idea that you aren't "one year old" until you have *completed* the first year of life. Then you are "one year old" between the 1st and 2nd birthdays, etc.)

[@petrag9702]

is anyone else triggered by them not wearing gloves when handling this book? let's preserve history!

[@electrictao5180]

Note to coders...I want this on Android. Thank you.

[@wmuraoka1398]

Interesting BUT the music is too loud and irritating with it's continues undulating, high pitch sound -- both volume and irritating music overwhelms the speaker.

[@wetcanoedogs]

i watch these sort of youtubes with the sound off and half speed so i can see the details.

[@RackemDawg]

Not sure why geocentrism, flat earth, and reason were abandoned.

[@vedicastrologyteacher]

Beautiful book. But the pedantic pseudo-science tone of the video is off-putting. Aries is the first sign, for God's sake, not Taurus. So, the entire calculation was off. I love how the word "astrology" was never uttered. He was an astronomer AND an astrologer - just like Kepler, Galileo and others. By the way, scientists still use "Geocentric" positions for objects in the heavens, because we are standing on Earth, watching them. Geo-centrism is not some outdated method of perceiving the heavens from Earth. Also, the narrator speaks as if the calculations were all thought to have been true back in the day,..but are no longer. "The sun's apparent orbit around the earth was called the ecliptic",.. No dear, it IS CALLED the ecliptic. You are not just narrating a story about ancient beliefs and fairy tales thought to be true by ignorant fools. They were remarkable scientists who calculated correctly the positions of Nodes and space with incredible accuracy. It wold have been good for you to do a study of how the ephemeris still works today!

[@themarquis336]

Artistic-creative-craftsmanship value: 1 trillion Scientific value: Meh, I’ll give them a 2 for pseudoscientific creativity.. What’s hilarious about this is that the people who made these could have guided all of the decision-making of all of these emperors and kings to make them do virtually whatever they wanted, to unknowingly do their bidding and to actually change the course of history (in their or their families’ favour…). 🤷🏻‍♂️