MadSci Network: Astronomy
Query:

Re: Who first coined the phrase 'Magellanic Clouds'?

Date: Tue Feb 22 09:35:39 2000
Posted By: Enrico Uva, Secondary School Teacher Chemistry, Physical Science
Area of science: Astronomy
ID: 950989324.As
Message:

Most references(i.e. Cambridge and Moore encyclobedias; Kaufman 
"Astronomy" etc) that I consulted had nothing relevant. According to 
anamateur astronomy website on 
LMC:http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Orbit/2142/history.html#magellan

'The Clouds' first became visible to Magellan's crew when his fleet 
approached the latitude of Brazil. Magellan originally referred to the 
clouds by the names Nubecular Major and Nebecular Minor. 
 Now Dunlop, one of the first to observe the LMC with a telescope still 
referred to them as Nebula Major and Minor. Herschel, however, wrote:
"It is evident that the Nebeculae are to be regarded as Systems Sui 
Generis and which have no analogues in our Hemisphere... 
The two Magellanic clouds, Nubecula major and Nebecular minor, are very 
remarkable objects. "

Whether he was the first one to use the term or whether the term stuck 
after that, I cannot definitely conclude from the sources I have.

Enrico Uva


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