The first celestial charts or maps of the heavens appeared in print in 1515 published by Albrecht Durer, a well known German artist and printmaker; and the first popular star atlas came out in 1603 titled “Uranometria” by Johann Bayer. While terrestrial maps reflected man's explorations and discoveries of the earthly world, star maps were based on man's ability to interpret the stars and their positions in the sky with the naked eye, and later with the telescope, to form patterns that were later to be used for navigation and to aid in plotting positions on the charts and surveys of early seafarers.

The first celestial charts depicted the stars & constellations named for mythological & religious figures & incorporated the 12 Zodiacal constellations from Aries to Pisces; and the painted drawings of these mythological images were often richly colored and in some cases highlighted in gold, as they flew and weaved their way across the heavens. By the latter part of the 18th century, with the development of the telescope star charts became more astronomical than mythological, but map & atlas publishers still included maps of the heavens, both for northern and southern hemipheres, in their published books of maps; and the major publishers of globes continued to make both terrestrial and celestial globes well into the 19th century.

The celestial charts listed below represent a selection of the celestial chartmakers art from the early 18th to the early 19th century.

Measurements are given in inches, height first, then width.
This refers to printed image only. Margins are extra.

Photos shown on listings are thumbnail versions.
Double click on thumbnails for a larger picture.

Glossary of Map Terms

CEL107 - A. E. LAPIE “Planisphere Célestes Dressés par le Sr. Lapie. Capitaine du Corps Royal d'Etat Major”. Paris 1836. Colored. 16X22. Striking double hemisphere celestial chart in the form of two globes showing the position and courses of the planets in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. Includes the Ecliptic, the great circle of the celestial sphere that is the apparent path of the sun among the stars. Finely drawn & engraved for the Atlas Universel.

CEL113 - BRION DE LA TOUR “Planisphere Ou Representation de Globe Celeste” and “En Deux Plan Hemispheres Coupe Par L'Ecliptique.” Paris. 1783. Colored. 7X9. Two charming celestial spheres depict the night sky in the northern and southern hemispheres. Under each finely drawn and colored sphere are listings of the constellations shown in the drawings. From: “Atlas Et Tables Elementaires De Geographie Ancienne Et Modern”. Published in Paris in 1783 by J. Barbou.

CEL117 - E. H. BURRITT “The Constellations. April, May, June.” NY. 1856. Colored. 13½X13. Very colorful celestial chart shows the Constellations and heavenly bodies seen in the night sky during April, May and June. Depicts Argo Navis (the Ship), Corvus (the Crow), Leo (the Lion), Ursa Major (the Greater Bear), Bootes, Asterion, the Centaur, Sextans & the Virgin. The Hydra snakes across the chart which includes the Earth's Orbit or Ecliptic and the Equinoctial Colure. Engraved by W. G. Evans under the Direction of E. H. Burritt, this wonderful chart was published by F. J. Huntington for the “Atlas to Illustrate the Geography of the Heavens.” 

CEL120 - A. BELL “Astronomy” Edin. 1771. Colored. 9½X7½. Very attractive celestial chart drawn by Andrew Bell for the “Encylopedia Britannica” in the late 18th century, shows the Southern Hemisphere with the figures of the constellations drawn in their mythological human and animal forms. At the top of the chart are 5 small spheres depicting Planet Earth and its rotational movement as it orbits the Sun. A finely drawn and decorative chart. 

CEL122 - B. COLE “Representation of the Transit of Venus over the Sun's Disk in 1761.” London 1761. B/W. 7X4. Small but very detailed chart shows the Visible Path of Venus and the Path of the Sun and the Eastern and Western Limbs of the Arc. Includes 3 detailed sketches depicting the transit. Drawn and engraved by Benjamin Cole, a well-known engraver in 18th century London, and published in the Gentleman's Magazine in 1761.

CEL123 - NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY “The Earth's Moon.” Wash. D.C. 1969. Colored. 26X40. Handsome double hemisphere chart of the Moon's Far Side and Near Side, pictured against a dark blue background indicating the night sky. The chart is decorated with small spheres depicting the Moon's phases, it's movement of axis, it's craters & elevations and it's revolutions around the Earth. This is an intensely detailed chart that includes a great deal of descriptive text describing the Moon's effect on the Earth's Tides, and all it's movements in relation to the Earth. Includes Indexes down both sides.

CEL124 - NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY. “The Heavens.” Wash. D.C. 1973. Colored. 22X33. Splendid double hemisphere map depicts the Northern and Southern Skies at night. Locates all the Planets and their Paths within the Universe. On the reverse are a series of Monthly Star Charts with instructions detailing how to use them. Also includes notes on where to look for the Planets between the years 1970-1973 This is a fine Celestial Chart. 

CEL127 - F. FONTANA “Phases Venerei Globi Crescentis Et Decrescentis. Globus Veneris.” Naples c. 1646. Colored. 13X8. Colorful celestial chart shows the phases of the Planet Venus depicting it's rise and decline on it's passage round the Sun. The chart was compiled under the direction of Francesco Fontana (c.1580-1656) an Italian mathematician & astronomer , & issued in his “Novae Coelestium Terrestrumque Rerum Observationes,“ in Naples 1646. The observations are attributed to Joan Wiselij. Chart is in a mat with decorative in-line border frame. Finely engraved & attractive coloring. (Ref. Tooley's Dictionary of Mapmakers. Rev. Edition. E-J.)

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Glossary of Map Terms

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