Urania Propitia by Maria Cunitz (1610-1664)

Urania Propitia by Maria Cunitz (1610-1664) examines the theory and art of astronomy, Cunitz's calculations, as well as a guide to astronomy for nonscientists. According to Cunitz, there were four components to astronomy: carefully recorded observations, the construction of astronomical instruments, theory, and the calculations or tables of predictions. The book is only one of nine copies in existence.

Maria Cunitz, (1610-1664), Urania propitia sive Tabulae astronomicae mirè faciles, vim hypothesium physicarum à Kepplero proditarum complexae; facillimo calculandi compendio, sine ullâ logarithmorum mentione, phaenomenis satisfacientes. Quarum usum pro tempore praesente, exacto, & futuro, (accedente insuper facillimâ superiorum Saturni & Jovis ad exactiorem, & coelo satis consonam rationem, reductione) duplici idiomate, Latino & vernaculo succincte praescriptum cum artis cultoribus communicat Maria Cunitia …

[Olsnae Silesiorum] Excudebat typographus Olsnensis J. Seyffertus, 1650 

Maria Kunicka was born in Silesia, the daughter of the doctor of philosophy and medicine, Henryk Kunic. She was 19 when a famous German mathematician, Elias von Love, came to town. He was interested in this girl who had studied languages, was also interested in astronomy, and had contact with the astronomer from Gdańsk, Heweluisz. After her father's death, he married Maria and they worked together on various projects. The times were not peaceful and they were fortunate to survive ongoing conflicts between Catholics and Protestants. 

Urania propitia sive tabulae astronomiicae, containing numerous astronomical tables, was printed by Johan Seyffert in Byczyn. It had 144 pages and 286 tables.  Urania is the only surviving work of this gifted scientist and it was in several pieces located at different places. Afterwards, she lived with the Piast princes in Brzeg.  She died in 1664.

This book represents the Four Millionth volume added to the University of Florida Libraries.