A 17th century illustration of the constellation of Ophiuchus Serpentarius
£680
Out of stock
The constellation of Ophiuchus (Serpentarius), engraved by Alexander Mair for Bayer's 'Uranometria', a star atlas that shaped the way the heavens would be perceived for more than two centuries.
Johann Bayer (1572-1625), an Augsburg lawyer, was an amateur astronomer in the years just prior to the invention of the telescope. His most important innovation was a new system of identifying stars by Greek and Roman letters, known today as the Bayer designation. His 'Uranometria' ('Measuring the Sky'), first published 1603, was the first celestial atlas to contain a chart of the stars in the Southern Hemisphere.
Additional information
Cartographer | |
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Date | 1639 |
Extra Info | [Ophiuchus Serpentarius.] |
Publication | Ulm: Johann Gorlini, 1639. Coloured, with gold highlights. 285 x 380mm. |
Condition | A good example. |
References | WARNER: Bayer 1. |