Commentary to the Prutenic Tables

General
The tables used for the preparation of the Excel workbook is a reprint of
Prutenicæ Tabulæ Coelestium Motuum by Erasmus Reinhold originally printed in
Tübingen in 1551 and published by UMI Books on Demand, 300 North Zeeb
Road, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106-1346, USA, www.umi.com. The Excel
sheets uses the tabular values from this book and procedures extracted from
its Latin "Logistice". All the columns in the tables can be represented by
analytical expressions that reproduce the tabular values with an accuracy
some arcseconds. This was used to check the tabular values and correct the
(rather few) errors.

The Prutenic Tables use a slightly simplified version of Copernicus' original

computational procedure and also have slightly different parameters, the
changes , however, being so small as to give no deviations on the level of
arcminutes in the final results. The eccentricity parameters were derived by a
numerical best fit to the tables.

I will sometimes below use the Babylonian number notation

a, b; c, d, e...... = 60a + b + c/60 + d/(60·60) + e/(60·60·60)...

Functions
e sin θ
Epicentre equation C ( e,θ ) = atan
1 + e cosθ
Excess funtion: Δ ( e 2 , e1 ,θ ) = C ( e 2 ,θ ) − C ( e1 ,θ )
Proportion function P ( e1 , e 2 ,θ ) :
e1 = radius of primary epicycle
e 2 = radius of secondary epicycle
r ( e1 , e 2 ,θ ) = e12 + e 22 + 2e1e 2 cosθ
r+ = e1 + e 2
r− = e1 − e 2
⎛ r ⎞ ⎛ r− ⎞
atan ⎜ ⎟ − atan ⎜ 1 − r2 ⎟
⎝ 1 − r2 ⎠ ⎝ − ⎠
P ( e1 , e 2 ,θ ) =
⎛ r+ ⎞ ⎛ r− ⎞
atan ⎜ 2 ⎟
− atan ⎜ 1 − r2 ⎟
⎝ 1 − r+ ⎠ ⎝ − ⎠
Precession
Parameters
Radices
Mean precession λ0 = 5; 32, 24, 6, 59
Anomaly α0 = 6; 40, 27, 28, 6

Mean motions/year
Mean precession λ' = 0; 0, 50, 12, 5, 7, 54
Anomaly α' = 0, 0; 6, 17, 24, 8, 48, 22
Equation c ( θ ) = 1;11, 22, 30·sin θ

Procedure
Mean longitude λP = λ0 + λ ′t
Anomaly α P = α 0 + α ′t
t is the time from the birth of Christ
True precession λP = λP − c ( 2α P )
−
α
Sun e2
P
E

e1

−
α
δ

Parameters
Radices
Mean longitude λ0 = 4, 32; 29, 51,
32, 55
Anomaly α0 = 3, 31; 39, 2, 20, 49

Mean motions/year
Longitude λ' = 5, 59; 44, 49, 10, 28, 28
Anomaly α' = 5, 59; 44, 23, 37, 16, 37

Excentricities
2:nd epicycle e20 = 0.1286839 (relative to 1:st epicycle)
1:st epicycle e1,min = 0.03219 (smallest effective value)
e1 = 0.036945
e1,max = 0.41700 (largest effective value)
e 2 = e1e 20
 e1,min 1 + e2
e1 = e1,max = e
1 − e 20 1 − e 20 1,min

Procedure
Mean longitude λ = λ0 + λ ′t
Anomaly α = α 0 + α ′t

Corrected anomaly (correction for precession)

α = α + C ( e20 , α P )
True longitude (from head of Aries)
( )
λ * = λ − ⎡⎣C ( e1,min , α ) + sign C ( e1,min , α ) ·Δ ( e1,max , e1,min , α )·P ( e1 , e2 , α P ) ⎤⎦
True ecliptic longitude
λ = λ * + λP e M 2

e1 −η
Moon
−
α
δ

Parameters
Radices
Mean elongation η0 = 3, 29; 58,
22, 36, 56
Anomaly α0 = 3, 27; 13,
27, 41, 16
Arg. Latitude φ0 = 2, 9; 41, 50, 37, 59

Mean motions/day
Elongation η' = 12; 11, 26, 41, 29, 57, 49, 37
Anomaly α' = 13; 3, 53, 56, 23, 57, 40, 46
Arg. Latitude φ' = 13; 13, 45, 39, 30, 46, 28, 53

Excentricities
2:nd epicycle e20 = 0.2155782 (relative to 1:st epicycle)
1:st epicycle e1,min = 0.08609 (smallest effective value)
e1 = 0.10974963
e1,max = 0.13340925 (largest effective value)
e 2 = e1e 20
e 1 + e2
e1 = 1,min e1,max = e
1 − e 20 1 − e 20 1,min
Procedure
Mean elongation η = η0 + η′t (relative to mean sun)
Anomaly α = α 0 + α ′t
Arg. Latitude φ = φ0 + φ ′t

Corrected anomaly
α = α + C ( e20 , π − 2η )
True longitude (from mean sun)
( )
η = η − ⎡⎣C ( e1,min , α ) + sign C ( e1,min , α ) ·Δ ( e1,max , e1,min , α )·P ( e1 , e2 , π − 2η ) ⎤⎦
For true longitude add the mean longitude of the sun and (true) precession.

Corrected argument of latitude

( )
φ = φ − ⎡⎣C ( e1,min , α ) + sign C ( e1,min , α ) ·Δ ( e1,max , e1,min , α )·P ( e1 , e2 , π − 2η ) ⎤⎦
Latitude
β = 5; 0·cos φ
The tabular values differ somewhat from a cosine function and in the Excel
application tabukar values are used.

Outer planets

α is the anomaly of the planet,

i.e. its distance from its apse.
The central inside circle is the
orbit of the earth, supposed to
be a circle around the mean
sun. The "anomalia commu-
tationis", c , is the difference
between the mean longitude of
the sun and the mean longi-
tude λ of the planet, i.e the
mean elongation of the planet.

By geometry we have (triangle SOC)

γ 1 = C ( e2 , α )
r1 = 1 + e 22 + 2e 2 cos α
⎛e ⎞
γ 2 = C ⎜ 3 , π − (α + γ 1 )⎟ (Triangle SPC)
⎝ r1 ⎠
γ = γ1 +γ2
r = r12 + e32 − 2r1e3 cos (α + γ 1 )
 ⎛e ⎞
δ = C ⎜ 1 ,c = c + γ ⎟
⎝r ⎠

In practice a proportion function is used defined by

r+ = 1 + e 2 − e3
r− = 1 − e 2 + e3
⎛ e1 ⎞ ⎛ e1 ⎞
atan ⎜ 2 2 ⎟
− atan ⎜ 2 2 ⎟
⎝ r − e1 ⎠ ⎝ r+ − e1 ⎠
P1 ( e1 , e 2 , e3,α ) =
⎛ e1 ⎞ ⎛ e1 ⎞
atan ⎜ 2 2 ⎟
− atan ⎜ 2 2 ⎟
⎝ r− − e1 ⎠ ⎝ r+ − e1 ⎠
and δ computed for the maximum distance
e
δ min = C ( e1,max ,c ) with e1,max = 1
r+
which is then corrected with
Δ ( e1,max , e1,min ,c ) P1 ( e1 , e 2 , e3 , α )
as shown below.

Saturn

Parameters
Radices
Mean longitude λ0 = 1, 6; 41, 51, 25, 54
Apse ω0 = 3, 45; 0, 5, 6, 0
Commutation c0 = 3, 25; 48, 0, 7, 53

Mean motions/year
Mean longitude λ' = 0, 12; 12, 46, 3, 52, 22, 42
Apse ω' = 0, 0; 0, 36, 40, 47, 31
Commutation c' = 5, 47; 32, 3, 6, 36, 5, 43

Parallax excentricity (in units of the mean distance of the planet)

e1,min= 0.1032404
e1,max = 0.11569823

Epicycle excentricities
e 2 = 0.0854
e3 = 0.0285

Procedure
Mean longitude λ = λ0 + λ ′·t
Apse ω = ω 0 + ω ′·t
Mean commutation c = c0 + c ′·t = λE − λ
Mean anomaly α = λ −ω
Eccentric equation γ (α ) = γ 1 + γ 2
Proportion P1 ( e1 , e 2 , e3 , α )
Corrections
α 1 = α − γ ( α ) (not used here)
c = c + γ (α )
λ1 = λ − γ ( α )
True longitude
( )
λ * = λ1 + C ( e1,min ,c ) + sign C ( e1,min ,c ) ·P1 ( e1 , e2 , e3 , α )·Δ ( e1,max , e1,min ,c )
λ = λ + λP
*

Jupiter

Parameters
Radices
Mean longitude λ0 = 2, 54; 14, 3, 24, 41
Apse ω0 = 2, 33; 55, 54, 51, 0
Commutation c0 = 1, 38; 15, 48, 10, 7

Mean motions/year
Mean longitude λ' = 0, 30; 19, 41, 6, 5, 25, 9, 58
Apse ω' = 0, 0; 0, 10, 49, 26, 29
Commutation c' = 5; 29, 25, 8, 4, 3, 18, 26

Parallax excentricity
e1,min = 0.182281
e1,max = 0.1997759

Epicycle excentricities
e 2 = 0.0687
e3 = 0.0228

Mars

Parameters
Radices
Mean longitude λ0 = 0, 34; 7, 46, 34, 59
Apse ω0 = 1, 47; 45, 32, 0, 0
Commutation c0 = 3, 58; 22, 4, 57, 49

Mean motions/year
Mean longitude λ' = 3, 11; 16, 18, 28, 40, 34, 4
Apse ω' = 0, 0; 0, 28, 44, 37, 30
Commutation c' = 2; 48, 28, 30, 41, 47, 54, 21

Parallax excentricity
e1,min = 0.600489
e1,max = 0.727000

Epicycle excentricities
e 2 = 0.1453
e3 = 0.0500

Inner Planets
The mean longitude is now equal to the mean longitude of the sun. Mercury
has some special tricks.

Venus

c– e3
G C
−
e1 2α
V e2

γ
γ1 2

−
α
E

A
E is the earth, V is Venus. DC is parallel with ES. Triangle ESG gives
γ 1 = C ( e2 , α )
In triangle EGC the internal angle at G is 2α − ( α − γ 1 ) = α + γ 1 and we have
⎛e ⎞
γ 2 = C ⎜ 3 , π − (α + γ 1 )⎟
⎝ r1 ⎠
The corrections to c and α are + ( γ 1 + γ 2 ) and − ( γ 1 + γ 2 ) respectively. This
means that the mathematical expression for the corrections to the mean
anomaly and the mean commutation c are exactly the same as for the outer
planets.

Parameters
Radices
Apse ω0 = 0, 48; 21, 0, 0, 0
Commutation c0 = 2, 6; 46, 31, 35, 37

Mean motions/year
Apse ω' = 0, 0; 0, 0, 0, 0, 0
Commutation c' = 3; 45, 1, 45, 20, 44, 25, 42

Parallax excentricity Epicycle excentricities

e1,min = 0.7092287 e 2 = 0.0246
e1,max = 0.72966 e3 = 0.0104

Mercury

−
2α
c–
G
C e3
e1
e2
M

S
γ1
γ2

−
α
E

A
E is the earth. Mercury is located at M where the radius of the largest epicycle
is variable: e1 ( α ) = e10 + ε sin 2 α with ε = 0.0380 and e10 = 0.3573. CD is parallel
to ES. Note that the angle 2α is counted from the largest distance from A on
the smallest epicycle, just the opposite of what is done with Venus.
The triangle ESG gives
⎛ e sin α ⎞
γ 1 = atan ⎜ 2 = C ( e2 , α )
⎝ 1 + e 2 cos α ⎟⎠
EG = r1 = 1 + e 22 + 2e 2 cos α
In triangle EGC the external angle at G will be 2α − ( α − γ 1 ) = α + γ 1 . Thus we
have
⎛ e sin ( α + γ 1 ) ⎞ ⎛e ⎞
γ 2 = atan ⎜ 3 ⎟ = C ⎜ 3 ,α + γ 1 ⎟
⎝ r1 + e3 cos ( α + γ 1 ) ⎠ ⎝ r1 ⎠
 γ = γ1 −γ2
EC = r = r12 + e32 + 2r1e3 cos ( α + γ 1 )

The total correction to α will be -γ . The mean commutation c will be

corrected by + γ . The final correction to the anomaly will be by the last
epicycle e1 . This is handled in the usual way by using a proportion function
multiplied with the excess and adding the product to the minimum correction
disregarding its sign. The proportion function is based on the difference
⎛ e1 ( α ) ⎞ ⎛ e1 ( 0 ) ⎞
atan ⎜ 2 ⎟ − atan ⎜ 2 ⎟
⎝ r ( α ) − e1 ( α ) ⎠ ⎝ r ( 0 ) − e1 ( 0 ) ⎠
2 2

normalised by its maximum value that occurs at α max = 120.755… degrees.

⎛ e ( 0) ⎞
We have δ min = C ⎜ 1 ,c ⎟
⎝ r ( 0) ⎠
⎛ e ( α ) e ( 0) ⎞
and the excess Δ ⎜ 1 max , 1 ,c ⎟
⎝ r ( α max ) r ( 0 ) ⎠
The final correction to the anomaly is added to the already once corrected
anomaly i.e.
α =α −γ +δ

Parameters
Radices
Apse ω0 = 3, 6; 34, 48, 41, 0
Commutation c0 = 0, 46; 53, 1, 26, 57

Mean motions/year
Apse ω' = 0, 0; 0, 57, 50, 38, 35
Commutation c' = 18; 53, 57, 50, 38, 35

Parallax excentricity
e1,min = 0.3264211
e1,max = 0.4045018
(for calculating the excess function)
e1 = e10 + ε sin 2 α with ε = 0.0380 and e10 = 0.3573

Epicycle excentricities
e 2 = 0.07351
e3 = 0.02120

Copernicus who was dogmatic about using uniform

circular motion in building his systems could use the
device invented by at - Tûsî who had shown that a
  
point on the circumference of a circle with radius s/2
that rolls inside a circle with radius s, will move in a straight line along a
diameter of the larger circle (cf. figure).

Planetary latitudes
I have not bothered to track the analytical derivations behind the tables for
the latitudes.

Outer planets
The corrected anomaly and the corrected commutations are used to calculate
the latitude. The corrected anomaly is amended with +50˚ for Saturn and -20˚
for Jupiter in Copernicus' scheme. In the Prutenic tables the tables themselves
are reorganized such that the entry argument is the plain anomaly. In the
Excel implementation I have chosen to revert to Copernicus scheme as it saves
some space in the worksheets.

The last two columns in the worksheet are entered with the amended
anomaly and the proportional factor (Prop) is interpolated. If the amended
anomaly is less than 90˚ or larger than 270˚ the left (northern) column ot the
respective planet is entered with the commutation (parallax), in case the
amended anomaly is in the interval 90˚ to 270˚ the right (southern) column is
entered. The latitude is then computed by multiplying the tabular value with
the proportional factor.

Inner planets

For the inner planets the procedure is more involved. The proportion factor
for the declination (PropDecl) is computed with the corrected anomaly α as
argument. The declination is then computed using the corrected commutation
c as argument from the respecive planet's column. The first latitude is then
computed by multiplying the declination with the proportion PropDev. The
first latitude for Venus is north or south according to the scheme
[(α < 90˚) ∨ (α > 270˚)] ∧ ( c < 180) ⇒ north
[(α < 90˚) ∨ (α > 270˚)] ∧ ( c > 180) ⇒ south
(90˚< α < 270˚) ∧ ( c > 180 ) ⇒ north
(90˚< α < 270˚) ∧ ( c < 180 ) ⇒ south
For Mercury it is precisely the opposite.

Next the proportional factor for the obliquation (PropO) is computed using the
anomaly as argument and the obliquation is computed using the
commutation. The second latitude is then the product of the obliquation and
the proportion. The latitude is (for Venus) north or south according to the
same scheme as above again with the opposite for Mercury.

Finally the proportion factor for the deviation (PropDev) is computed from the
anomaly and the deviation computed using the commutation as argument.
The third latitude is then the product of the deviation and the proportion and
always north for Venus, always south for Mercury.
The final latitude is then the algebrahic sum of the three latitudes.

Summary of tabular functions in Prutenicæ Tabulæ

Precession
(Canon Prosthaphæreseon Æquinoctialis. p.16b)
c ( θ ) = 1;11, 22, 30·sin θ (Præcessionis Æquinoctio)

Sun
(Prosthaphæreseon Solis. p. 41b–43)
C ( e 20 ,θ ) (Centri.)
P ( e1 , e 2 ,θ ) ( Scrup Propor)
C ( e1,min ,θ ) (Orbis)
Δ ( e1,max , e1,min ,θ ) ( Excessus)

Moon
(Prosthaphæreseon Lunæ. p. 48b–51)
C ( e 20 ,θ ) (Secundi Epicycli)
P ( e1 , e 2 ,θ ) (Scrup Propor)
C ( e1,min ,θ ) (Primi Epicycli)
Δ ( e1,max , e1,min ,θ ) ( Excessus)

Saturn
(Prosthaphæreseon Saturni. p. 55b–58)
γ ( θ ) (Eccentri)
P1 ( e1 , e 2 , e3 ,θ ) (Scrup Propor)
C ( e1,min ,θ ) (Parallaxis orbis)
Δ ( e1,max , e1,min ,θ ) (Excessus parall.)

Jupiter
(Prosthaphæreseon Iovis. p. 62b–65)

Mars
(Prosthaphæreseon Martis. p. 69b–72)
Venus
(Prosthaphæreseon Veneris. p. 64b–77)

Mercury
(Prosthaphæreseon Mercurii. p. 60b–83)