From the book
A Chymical Dictionary
Gerhard Dorn and John French · Diotimos Editions · 2026
Browse this book’s lexicon →Orientation
At a Glance
- The wordThe planets’ own orbs and spheres.
- A place to readThe historical definition below, 1650 dictionary, unnumbered definition page 16; facsimile PDF page 344.
Historical definition
Cœli planetarum are the proper orbs of the planets and their spheres.
Meaning
This entry concerns celestial regions or structures, not a chemical vessel. “Proper” assigns each orb to its planet; the plural matters because the expression refers to the differentiated planetary heavens. The dictionary supplies no measurements or diagram of their arrangement.
The neighbouring Cœlum entries have very different glosses: one concerns quintessence or universal medicine and another the upper part of a vessel. Keeping those distinctions visible is especially useful when heaven-language appears in philosophical or technical prose. The qualifier determines which field the name enters.
Places to read
- Cœli planetarumRead the complete historical definition and its commentary.
- Cœlum PhilosophorumThe philosophers’ heaven explained through quintessence and universal medicine.
- Cœlum SpagiricumThe upper region of a vessel named as a spagyrical heaven.
- Carbones cœliStars described through the image of heavenly coals.
Source note
Historical source. 1650 dictionary, unnumbered definition page 16; facsimile PDF page 344 — Facsimile