Aurorae Borealis Studia Classica

Introduction

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The thirteenth volume in the series presents all articles on the aurora borealis that were published in the journal of the Swedish Societas Literaria / Societas Regia Literaria et Scientiarum (now Kungl. Vetenskaps-Societeten i Uppsala) from 1720 to 1729. The articles are by the adjunct/professor of astronomy in Uppsala, Erik Johan (Ericus Johannes) Burman; the professor of mathematics in Lund, Conrad (Conradus) Quensel; and the adjunct/professor of astronomy in Uppsala Anders (Andreas) Celsius. E. J. Burman developed a theory of two kinds of aurora borealis and inspired other investigators across Sweden to observe the phenomenon according to his instructions.

The introduction, written by Latinist and historian of science Per Pippin Aspaas, consists of a short history of the society in the period including brief presentations of Burman, Quensel and Celsius. Furthermore, Aspaas summarizes the contents of all articles dealing with the aurora and presents extracts in English translation.

Extracts from Acta Literaria Sveciae, Volumen Secundum (1725–1729)

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The file is a facsimile of extracts from the second volume of the Acta Literaria Sveciae, covering all mentions of the aurora borealis in the journal from 1725 to 1729. For a detailed summary of contents, see the introduction by Per Pippin Aspaas.

Extracts from Acta Literaria Sveciae, Volumen Primum (1720–1724)

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The file is a facsimile of extracts from the first volume of the Acta Literaria Sveciae, covering all mentions of the aurora borealis in the journal from 1720 to 1724. For a detailed summary of contents, see the introduction by Per Pippin Aspaas.

Biographical Introduction; Theodor Kittelsen's Illustrations; Interpretation and Summary of Contents

2021-12-23T11:16:01+01:00

The twelfth volume in the series consists of Norsk Høifjeld, a work of prose and poetry written by Theodor Caspari and illustrated by Theodor Kittelsen and several other artists. In the various editions of the work, the aurora borealis figures in Caspari's text as well as in some of Kittelsen's illustrations. The introduction derives from an MA course in Scandinavian literature entitled ‘Dem Polarlicht auf der Spur. Wissenschaftshistorische und kulturwissenschaftliche Erkundigungen’, given by Marie-Theres Federhofer at Humboldt University Berlin in 2019. The introduction has been written by the student Corinna Hoffmann, the student Lea Meissner, and Per Pippin Aspaas from UiT's University Library. It consists of a brief biographical sketch on Theodor Caspari, an introduction to Theodor Kittelsen's illustrations, and an interpretation and summary of contents of three of the altogether five editions of Norsk Høifjeld that were issued in Theodor Caspari's lifetime.

Høifjeld og Fjeldfolk [1927]

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This collection, published in Oslo in 1927, includes the fifth edition of Norsk Høifjeld along with other related works by Theodor Caspari. It is richly illustrated, with Th. Kittelsen among the artists.

Norsk Høifjeld [1911]

2021-12-23T09:44:32+01:00

This is the fourth edition of Norsk Høifjeld, published in Kristiania (Oslo) in 1911 with illustrations by A. Bloch, Th. Holmboe, Th. Kittelsen, Eiv. Nielsen, and Karl Uchermann.

Norsk Høifjeld [1898]

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This is the first edition of Norsk Høifjeld, published in Kristiania (Oslo) in 1898 with illustrations by A. Bloch, Th. Holmboe, Kaulum, Th. Kittelsen, Eiv. Nielsen, and Karl Uchermann.

Friedrich Christoph Mayer and his theory of the aurora borealis

2021-06-18T13:39:54+02:00

The eleventh volume in the series presents two articles on the aurora borealis by Friedrich Christoph Mayer (1697–1729), a mathematician at the Imperial Academy of Sciences in Saint Petersburg. The first paper, titled “De Luce Boreali” (On the Northern Light), was presented during a session at the newly founded Academy in October 1726. It was printed two years later (1728) in the very first volume of its official periodical, the Commentarii Academiae Scientiarum Imperialis Petropolitanae. The second paper, also bearing the title “De Luce Boreali”, constitutes the author’s ‘second thoughts’ on the matter. It was presented during a session in October 1728 but was not printed until after Mayer’s death, in the fifth volume of the Commentarii (1735). Both papers are included in facsimile in this issue of Aurorae Borealis Studia Classica.

Eric Chassefière, member of the Histoire des sciences astronomiques team of the SYRTE laboratory at the Observatoire de Paris, has written an introduction to Mayer’s life and works with a special emphasis on his theory of the aurora borealis. In his introduction, Chassefière also recounts how Mayer’s theory was received by other eighteenth-century savants.

De Luce Boreali

2021-04-08T13:52:04+02:00

This is Friedrich Christoph Mayer's second article "De Luce Boreali" (On the Nothern Light), as published in the Commentarii Academiae Scientiarum Imperialis Petropolitanae Tomus IV ad annum 1729 (printed 1735).

De Luce Boreali

2021-04-08T13:52:00+02:00

This is Friedrich Christoph Mayer's first article "De Luce Boreali" (On the Nothern Light), as published in the Commentarii Academiae Scientiarum Imperialis Petropolitanae Tomus I ad annum 1726 (printed 1728).