Alexius Sylvius Polonus
Encyclopedia
Alexius Sylvius Polonus was a Polish
Jesuit astronomer
and maker of astronomical instruments. He adopted the added name of Polonus
, meaning "Pole
" in Latin
.
Sylvius studied at the Jesuit College in Kalisz
. The Belgian
Jesuit Charles Malapert
organized there the observations of sunspot
s, in which Sylvius took part. They used early telescopes obtained from Christoph Scheiner
in Ingolstadt
.
In 1617 Sylvius accompanied Malapert on his return to the Southern Netherlands
, where they both spent twelve years at the University of Douai
. They performed observations of sunspots with better astronomical instruments. These Sylvius invented and constructed himself.
In 1630, Malapert was called to Spain
to occupy a newly created chair in the Jesuit Colegio Imperial de Madrid
. However, he fell ill during the journey and died shortly after entering Spain. Sylvius continued on, and subsequently taught at the Colegio Imperial, building the university a planetarium
in 1634.
Sylvius left Spain for the Southern Netherlands in 1638, where he stayed in the Benedictine
monastery at Anchin
, for which he may have constructed its planetarium.
Sylvius was in Poland by 1649. In 1651, he published a work on calendariography.
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
Jesuit astronomer
Astronomer
An astronomer is a scientist who studies celestial bodies such as planets, stars and galaxies.Historically, astronomy was more concerned with the classification and description of phenomena in the sky, while astrophysics attempted to explain these phenomena and the differences between them using...
and maker of astronomical instruments. He adopted the added name of Polonus
Polonus
Polonus means "Pole" or Polish in Latin. In Polish it refers to a Pole living outside of Poland, a member of Polonia, the Polish diaspora. Regarding persons, Polonus was attributed to-Persons:*Alexius Sylvius Polonus*Martin of Opava*Benedykt Polak...
, meaning "Pole
Poles
thumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
" in Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
.
Sylvius studied at the Jesuit College in Kalisz
Kalisz
Kalisz is a city in central Poland with 106,857 inhabitants , the capital city of the Kalisz Region. Situated on the Prosna river in the southeastern part of the Greater Poland Voivodeship, the city forms a conurbation with the nearby towns of Ostrów Wielkopolski and Nowe Skalmierzyce...
. The Belgian
Southern Netherlands
Southern Netherlands were a part of the Low Countries controlled by Spain , Austria and annexed by France...
Jesuit Charles Malapert
Charles Malapert
Charles Malapert was a Belgian Jesuit writer, astronomer and proponent of Aristotelian cosmology. He was considered one of the intellectual champions of the Roman Catholic Church...
organized there the observations of sunspot
Sunspot
Sunspots are temporary phenomena on the photosphere of the Sun that appear visibly as dark spots compared to surrounding regions. They are caused by intense magnetic activity, which inhibits convection by an effect comparable to the eddy current brake, forming areas of reduced surface temperature....
s, in which Sylvius took part. They used early telescopes obtained from Christoph Scheiner
Christoph Scheiner
Christoph Scheiner SJ was a Jesuit priest, physicist and astronomer in Ingolstadt....
in Ingolstadt
Ingolstadt
Ingolstadt is a city in the Free State of Bavaria, in the Federal Republic of Germany. It is located along the banks of the Danube River, in the center of Bavaria. As at 31 March 2011, Ingolstadt had 125.407 residents...
.
In 1617 Sylvius accompanied Malapert on his return to the Southern Netherlands
Southern Netherlands
Southern Netherlands were a part of the Low Countries controlled by Spain , Austria and annexed by France...
, where they both spent twelve years at the University of Douai
University of Douai
The University of Douai is a former university in Douai, France. With a Middle Ages heritage of scholar activities in Douai, the university was established in 1559 and lectures started in 1562. It closed from 1795 to 1808...
. They performed observations of sunspots with better astronomical instruments. These Sylvius invented and constructed himself.
In 1630, Malapert was called to Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
to occupy a newly created chair in the Jesuit Colegio Imperial de Madrid
Colegio Imperial de Madrid
Colegio Imperial de Madrid was the name of a Jesuit teaching institution in Madrid....
. However, he fell ill during the journey and died shortly after entering Spain. Sylvius continued on, and subsequently taught at the Colegio Imperial, building the university a planetarium
Planetarium
A planetarium is a theatre built primarily for presenting educational and entertaining shows about astronomy and the night sky, or for training in celestial navigation...
in 1634.
Sylvius left Spain for the Southern Netherlands in 1638, where he stayed in the Benedictine
Order of Saint Benedict
The Order of Saint Benedict is a Roman Catholic religious order of independent monastic communities that observe the Rule of St. Benedict. Within the order, each individual community maintains its own autonomy, while the organization as a whole exists to represent their mutual interests...
monastery at Anchin
Anchin Abbey
Anchin Abbey was a Benedictine monastery founded in 1079 in the commune of Pecquencourt in what is now the Nord department of France.-History:...
, for which he may have constructed its planetarium.
Sylvius was in Poland by 1649. In 1651, he published a work on calendariography.