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Star Lore Honores Friderici Frederic's Honor

Honores Friderici is a now obsolete constellation, created in 1787 by Johann Elert Bode.

In 1787, German astronomer Johann Elert Bode created a constellation to honor his patron, Prussian king Frederick the Great, who had died the year before. Bode used the stars of the constellation Sceptrum et Manus Iustitiae, created 110 years earlier by French architect Augustin Royer in honor of French king Louis XIV. Originally, in his "Astronomical Yearbook" (Astronomisches Jahrbuch), Bode called his creation Friedrichs Ehre, meaning Frederic's Honor. In his star map Uranographia sive astrorum, published in 1801, he latinized the name to Honores Friderici and depicted the constellation as a crown above a sword, a pen and an olive branch, illustrating the perception of the "philosopher on the throne" as a "hero, sage and peacemaker."

Gloria Frederici in Urania's Mirror

In the popular star atlas Urania's Mirror, published in 1827, it was called Gloria Frederici, Frederick's Glory. Honores Friderici was one of four constellations created by Bode. All four are no longer in use. Sources: Wikipedia, Ian Ridpath, SkyEye, astrocultura.uai.it

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