Star Lore Sudarium Veronicae Veronica's Vail

Sudarium Veronicae is a star formation observed and named in 1643 by Antonius de Rheita. Its existence is questionable.

On April 24, 1643, Capuchin friar Antonius Maria Schyrleus de Rheita wrote a letter to his friend Juan Caramuel Rheita. In the letter, he mentioned his observation through a binocular telescope of his own making. He wrote that he had observed a great similarity of the sacred Sudarium Veronicæ in the sign of Leo between the equinoctial and the zodiacal circles. In 1844, British Royal Navy officer and astronomer William Henry Smyth mentioned the formation in his book A Cycle of Celestial Objects. Smyth showed an illustration done by German theologian Joannes Zahn in 1685. It is doubtful that this illustration resembles a real star formation. in 1881, English astronomer George Frederick Chambers called it "a pious fraud".

Sudarium Veronicae by Joannes Zahn Source: astronomy.com

A precise location was never determined. In 2017, Latin scholar, and astronomy author Michael A. Covington suggested the stars ρ Leonis, ο Leonis, β Sextantis and ι Hydrae as the corner stars of the formation. The "constellation" remains a mystery, seen as a curiosity by some and as a mere product of a vivid imagination by others. Sources: William Henry Smyth: A Cycle of Celestial Objects, p. 228, astrocultura.uai.it Stephen James O'Meara: Unveiling Veronica’s Veil, Stephen James O'Meara: The Secret of Sextans Veronica's Veil is a Christian relic consisting of a piece of cloth said to bear an image of Jesus. The story relates to the sixth Station of the Cross, where Saint Veronica wipes the blood and sweat from Jesus' face with her veil. Source: Wikipedia

Sixth Station of the Cross Luigi Sciocchetti, 1949 Picture taken by the author

Back to Star Lore Start Page

Back to Obsolete Constellations

Back to Space Page

Back to English Main Page

Back to Start Page