Comet Prints from Histoire de l'Academie Royale des Sciences

The French publication Histoire de l'Academie Royale des Sciences contained especially in the 18th century many engravings showing the path of comets. These 42 engravings were not only accurate scientific documentations. All these engravings were also pieces of artwork which made these celestial maps a highlight of cometary astronomy. Especially Charles Messier published an extensive series of these maps during the latter half of the 18th century.

Below are shown the maps which are in my collection. The still missing pieces are linked to Atlas Coelestis Website

C/1699 D1 - J.Cassini, J.D.Maraldi, R. P. Gouye, J. de Fontaney - (Histoire of 1701, Amsterdam 1707)

Chart accompanying memoirs by J.Cassini, J.D.Maraldi, R. P. Gouye, and J. de Fontaney about the comet C/1699 D1 in " Mem. Acad., 1701, Amsterdam, 1707, p. 63. This is from the Duodez reprint, the original was published at the Imprimerie Royale in 1704.
Size 13 cm x 23 cm.

C/1702 H1 (Histoire of 1702, Paris 1704)
C/1702 H1 (Histoire of 1702, Paris 1704)
C/1706 F1 (Histoire of 1706, Paris 1707)
C/1707 W1 (Histoire of 1707, Paris 1708)
C/1672 E1 (Histoire of 1666-1699, Paris 1730)
C/1729 P1 (Histoire of 1729/1730, Paris 1731, 1732)

C/1742 C1 - Soubeyran (sculp.), J.Cassini, J.D.Maraldi, De La Caille, De Mairan - (Histoire of 1742, Paris 1745)

Chart accompanying memoirs by J.Cassini, J.D.Maraldi, De La Caille, and De Mairan about the comet C/1742 C1 in " Mem. Acad., 1742, p. 76, plate VI" .
Size 15 cm x 22 cm.

C/1762 K1 (Histoire of 1762, Paris 1764)
1P/1758 Y1 (Histoire of 1759, Paris 1765)
1P/1758 Y1 (Histoire of 1760, Paris 1766)

C/1762 K1 (Klinkenberg) - C. Haussard (sculp.), Charles Messier - (Memoires of 1768, Paris 1768)

Print from " Mem. Acad., Paris 1768, pp. 81-93, 104" describing the path of comet C/1762 K1 (Klinkenberg). Size is 22 cm x 22 cm.

C/1764 A1 (Histoire of 1771, Paris 1774)
C/1771 A1 (Histoire of 1771, Paris 1774)

D/1766 G1 and C/1770 E1 - Y. le Gouaz (sculp.), Charles Messier - (Histoire of 1773, Paris 1777)

Prints from "Mémoire contentant les observations de deux cométes qui ont paru en 1766." from " Mem. Acad., 1773, pp. 157-167" describing the path of comets C/1770 E1 (Messier) and D/1766 G1 (Helfenzrieder). Size is 23 cm x 20 cm.

C/1760 B1 (Histoire of 1772, Paris 1775)

C/1763 S1 - Y. le Gouaz (sculp.), Charles Messier - (Histoire of 1774, Paris 1778)

Print describing the path of comet C/1763 S1 (Messier).
Size is 26 cm x 21 cm.

C/1773 T1 - Y. le Gouaz (sculp.), Charles Messier - (Histoire of 1774, Paris 1778)

Print describing the path of comet C/1773 T1 (Messier).
Size is 37 cm x 23 cm.

C/1769 P1 (Histoire of 1775, Paris 1778)

C/1769 P1 - Y. le Gouaz (sculp.), Charles Messier (Paris 1808)

One of the maps of the publication of 1778 was republished by Messier in his rare pamphlet with hand-written date on the title on comet C/1769 P1. See also my ICQ paper. Size is 50 cm x 20 cm.

C/1774 P1 (Histoire of 1775, Paris 1778)

D/1770 L1 - Y. le Gouaz (sculp.), Charles Messier - (Histoire of 1776, Paris 1779)

Two prints from "Mémoire contenant les observations de la XI.e cométe, observée á Paris, de l'Observatoire de la Marine et du collége Louis-le-Grand, depuis le 14 Juin jusqu'au 3 Octobre 1770 matin" from " Mem. Acad., 1776, pp. 597-651" describing the path of comet D/1770 L1 (Lexell). Size is 50 cm x 22 cm each.

C/1771 G1 (Histoire of 1777, Paris 1780)
3D/1772 E1 (Histoire of 1777, Paris 1780)
C/1779 A1 (Histoire of 1779, Paris 1782)
C/1780 U2 (Histoire of 1780, Paris 1784)
C/1781 M1 and C/1781 T1 (Histoire of 1781, Paris 1784)
D/1783 W1 and C/1766 E1 and D/1766 G1 (Histoire of 1783, Paris 1786)
C/1783 X1 (Histoire of 1784, Paris 1787)
C/1785 A1 (Histoire of 1785, Paris 1788)
C/1785 E1 (Histoire of 1785, Paris 1788)
C/1786 P1 (Histoire of 1786, Paris 1788)
C/1787 G1 (Histoire of 1787, Paris 1789)
35P/1788 Y1 (Histoire of 1789, Paris 1793)

C/1790 A1 - Y. le Gouaz (sculp.), Charles Messier - (Histoire of 1790, Paris 1797)

Print describing the path of comet C/1790 A1 (Herschel).
Size is 25 cm x 21 cm.

8P/1790 A2 - Y. le Gouaz (sculp.), Charles Messier - (Histoire of 1790, Paris 1797)

Print describing the path of comet 8P/1790 A2 (Tuttle).
Size is 15 cm x 22 cm.

C/1788 W1 and C/1790 H1 - Y. le Gouaz (sculp.), Charles Messier - (Histoire of 1790, Paris 1797)

Print describing the path of comets C/1788 W1 (Messier) and C/1790 H1 (Herschel).
Size is 59 cm x 22 cm.

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