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As Space X, Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin usher us into a New Era of space exploration, we take a look back at the History of Space as recorded and described in the 17th through 19th centuries.
View History of Space Collection
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In addition to their lavish aesthetic appeal, the 29 double-page celestial charts of Cellarius' "Harmonia macrocosmica", comprise the most sweeping, ambitious project in the history of celestial cartography, one which also illustrates the historical tensions of the time.
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Andreas Cellarius (ca 1596-1665). Harmonia Macrocosmica seu Atlas Universalis et Novus. 1708
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$ 125,000.00
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Striking celestial chart, showing the selenographic phases of the moon, from Cellarius' Harmonia Macrocosmica seu Atlas Universalis et Novus.
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Andreas Cellarius. Typus Selenographicus... Amsterdam, 1708
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$ 3,500.00
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Cellarius's chart illustrates the Ptolemaic theory of the Sun's orbit around the Earth. It attempts to explain the differences between the interval from the Autumnal equinox to the Vernal equinox (187 days) and the interval from the Vernal equinox to the Autumnal equinox (178 days).
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Andreas Cellarius. Theoria Solis... Amsterdam, 1708
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$ 3,500.00
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A fine celestial chart illustrating the Claudius Ptolemy model of lunar motion. The chart illustrates the lunar epicycles as the moon revolves along various orbits. The central chart is bordered zodiacal iconography. The surround is lavishly decorated with finely engraved and colored images of clouds, putti, and two sub-diagrams.
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Andreas Cellarius. Theoria Lunae.... Amsterdam, 1708
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$ 3,500.00
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Fine example of Cellarius's chart illustrating the Theory of Epicycles, which supported Claudius Ptolemy's earth-centered model of the universe.
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Andreas Cellarius. Theoriatrium Superiorum Planetarum. Amsterdam, 1708
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$ 3,500.00
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The presence of this chart in an otherwise science-based work is evidence that astrology was not seen entirely incompatible with science in the latter part of the 17th century. The chart depicts the primary astrological signs in border of the circle, while the network of lines delineate various relationships between the signs in terms of the four humors-- melancholia, cholicus, etc. In the center is a map of the northern hemisphere, which perhaps is meant to further connect personality traits to geographic areas.
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Andreas Cellarius. Typus Aspectuum.... Amsterdam, 1708
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$ 3,500.00
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Finely executed celestial chart illustrating the motions of both the upright sphere (the equatorial co-ordinate system) and the oblique sphere (the ecliptic co-ordinate system); the celestial and terrestrial longitudes; and the influences of the stars.
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Andreas Cellarius. Hemisphaerica... Amsterdam, 1708
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$ 3,500.00
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Though he was a lawyer and not an astronomer by profession, Johann Bayer created one of the most memorable seventeenth-century guides to the constellations, entitled Uranometria in honor of Urania, the muse of astronomy.
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Johann Bayer. Crater. 1661
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$ 1,800.00
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Johann Bayer. Coeli Inferior Austrina. 1661
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$ 1,800.00
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First published in Augsburg in 1603, the Uranometria included
celestial maps that were not only highly appealing on a visual level, but also significant in the history of astronomy.
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Johann Bayer. Corona Australis. 1661
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$ 1,800.00
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These were the first charts to identify astral magnitude (brightness) with a lettering system, using Greek characters for the brighter stars and Roman letters for the fainter.
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Johann Bayer. Hydra. 1661
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$ 1,800.00
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Bayer’s stellar lettering system -- which we still use for stars visible to the naked eye -- and his presentation of the recently discovered constellations were significant contributions to celestial cartography.
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Johann Bayer. Canis Major. 1661.
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$ 1,800.00
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P. Meriette. Planisfere du Globe Celeste.
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$ 5,500.00
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W. G. Evans. Southern Circumpolar Map for each Month in the Year. 1835
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$ 1,900.00
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This spectacular celestial chart presents the constellations according to Christian symbolism. The view of the constellations is based on the work of the early 17th-century astronomer, Julius Schiller, who sought to replace the traditional pagan symbols with ones derived from Judeo-Christian sources.
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Andreas Cellarius. Coeli Stellati Christiani Haemisphaerium Posterius....Amsterdam, 1708
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$ 8,500.00
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