Aquila

Aquila, The Eagle, is one of the official IAU-constellations. Its history goes back to a Sumerian constellations (TI₈, The Eagle or The Vulture) in the same area of the sky.

Etymology and History

"Aquila" is the Latin transtlation of the Ancient Greek term which is the translation of an Akkadian term which is the translation of a Sumerian term. It is unknown whether the Sumerians distinguished betwen eagles and vultures. The Greek term and mythology clearly refer to an eagle as a symbol of divine power, but the original Sumerian constellation might have had a different context: as it was placed next to the Sumerian constellation of The Corpse, the bird might have been considered a vulture.

Origin of constellation

The constellation is listed in MUL.APIN's first list.

Transfer and Transformation of the constellation

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  Aquila with Sagitta, Leiden Aratea, Fol. 54v and 55r, between circa 830 and circa 840

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  Aquila et Antinous (Bayer 1603)

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  "Aquila et Antinous" in Hevelius (1690) in "Firmamentum Sobiescianum, sive uranographia" in volume "Prodromus Astronomia"

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  "Delphinus, Sagitta, Aquila, and Antinous", plate 13 in Urania's Mirror, a set of celestial cards accompanied by A familiar treatise on astronomy ... by Jehoshaphat Aspin (1825). London. Astronomical chart, 1 print on layered paper board : etching, hand-colored.

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  Aquila et Antinous, 1776 - Jean Fortin/ John Flamsteed - L'Aigle, Antinous, La Fleche, Le Renard, Le Dauphin (Aquila, Sagitta, Vulpecula & Anser Delphinus, source)

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  The constellation of Aquila (Eagle) and the constellation of Antinous, portrayed as Zeus and Ganymede, from the Uranographia, by Johann Elert Bode (1782).

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  Aquila et Antinous at Planisferio celeste (Carlos Simón 1894)

References

Weblinks

• References (general)
• References (Babylonian)
• References (ancient Greco-Roman)
• References (medieval)