The appearance of a new star was a phenomenon not unknown to the ancients, since Pliny records that Hipparchus was led by such an appearance to make his catalogue of the fixed stars.

But the phenomenon is sufficiently uncommon to attract unusual attention.

A similar phenomenon occurred in the year 1604, when the new star--in this case appearing in the constellation of Serpentarius--was explained by Kepler as probably proceeding from a vast combustion.

This explanation--in which Kepler is said to have followed.

Tycho--is fully in accord with the most recent theories on the subject, as we shall see in due course.