From Mythology to Astronomy: Lists and Catalogues of Variable Stars

Abstract

After the discovery of the new star of 1572, we find similar phenomena enumerated in the contemporary literature. The earliest of such lists, like that of Riccioli, looked like the cometary historiae of the time. They listed various kinds of objects, which could be put into three classes: mythological, astronomical, and astrological. These compilations were usually gathered from a perusal of the literature, either astronomical or historical. They also provided shorter or longer description of these stars, sometimes together with their effects on earthly affairs. Changes began to appear in the 17th century, when a few astronomers started to observe the stars, and when Bullialdus detected the first periodic one among them. The latter allowed for the first time the prediction of a celestial phenomenon different from the movement of the planets. The second half of the century saw numerous claims of discovery, among them such a famous variable as Algol. The demythologization of the study of variable stars continued until the work of Edward Pigott, whose work laid the foundations of modern variable star astronomy.