20-08-2026, 09:04 AM
The other rosettes are not the planets themselves, but the immense spheres containing them. The medieval universe is a system of concentric spheres, bounded by the sphere of the fixed stars. The fact that they appear unfolded in the Voynich is intended to illustrate the system of influences.
At the top left, we can see the sphere of the Moon, which was also considered a planet. We see the sphere as a whole, and within it, the Moon in a crescent shape. Some might find it surprising that only the crescent appears and not all the phases, given that we see the Moon follow a circular path. It is not unusual to see this in the Voynich manuscript, because on folio f68r1 we also see, at the top, the face of the moon surrounded by crescents.
At the top left, we can see the sphere of the Moon, which was also considered a planet. We see the sphere as a whole, and within it, the Moon in a crescent shape. Some might find it surprising that only the crescent appears and not all the phases, given that we see the Moon follow a circular path. It is not unusual to see this in the Voynich manuscript, because on folio f68r1 we also see, at the top, the face of the moon surrounded by crescents.