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The Collation

From comet tales to bear tails

After watching NASA’s test-launch of the Orion Spacecraft last month, I was inspired to dive into the Folger’s collection of astronomical texts. Quite by accident, I stumbled upon the works of John Bainbridge. I’ve had just enough history of science for that name to ring a bell, so I decided to go digging, into both his texts and life.

Bainbridge was educated at Cambridge and received his MD in 1614, at the age of 32. 1 While he did practice medicine, first in Leicestershire and then later in London, he appears to have spent a good amount of time and energy studying astronomy and mathematics as well. Bainbridge first came to the attention of his contemporaries for his 1619 book, An astronomicall description of the late comet from the 18. of Nouemb. 1618. to the 16. of December following (Folger STC 1208).

Title Page of Bainbridge's An astronomicall description of the late comet

Title page of Bainbridge’s first book, published in 1619

His book includes a full illustrated chart of the comet’s path:

  1. A. J. Apt, ‘Bainbridge, John (1582–1643)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Jan 2008 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/1082
  2. Seargent, David A. The Greatest Comets in History: Broom Stars and Celestial Scimitars. New York: Spring, 2009. p. 110-111
  3. Francis Maddison, ‘Greaves, John (1602–1652)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/11371
  4. Ian Gadd, ed. The History of Oxford University Press, Vol. 1: Beginnings to 1780. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2013. p. 401-402
  5. R. D. Goulding, ‘Savile, Sir Henry (1549–1622)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Jan 2008 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/24737]

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