Hevelius

Hevelius (whose real name was HOVEL or HÖVELKE), JOHANN, German astronomer, was born at Danzig, 28th January 1611, and died in that city, 28th January 1687. He was wealthy, and in 1641 he erected an observatory in his own house, and for forty years carried on astronomical observations therefrom. He wrote descriptions of the phases and spots of the moon, conducted numerous researches on comets, and prepared charts of the moon and of the heavens. He laid down the results of his observations in Selenographia (1647), Cometographia (1668), and Machina Cælestis (1673; reprinted, with an English trans. by Prince, in 1882), besides minor works.