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Astronomical map: Quick Facts

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Facts

Also Known As star map • astronomical atlas • star atlas

Photos

Star trails over banksia trees, in Gippsland, Vic., Austl. The south celestial pole, located in the constellation Octans, is at the centre of the trails.
Celestial coordinates seen by an observer in mid-northern latitudes. His celestial meridian is a great circle passing through his zenith and the poles. His astronomical horizon meets the celestial sphere at infinity.
Circular astronomical map of the northern sky showing major constellations, with constellation names and star patterns marked. The outer edge is labeled with months to indicate when constellations are visible at night throughout the year.
Circular astronomical map of the southern sky showing major constellations, with constellation boundaries and star patterns marked. The outer ring is labeled with months to indicate which constellations are visible at different times of year.
north celestial and ecliptic poles
The equatorial system of coordinates.
Chinese Tunhuang manuscript, the oldest existing portable star map (excluding astrolabes), c. 940 ce; in the British Museum (MS. Stein 3326). Actual width of portion shown about 32 cm (12.75 inches).
The constellation Aries (the Ram) and others, from Johann E. Bode's Uranographia, 1801. The constellation Musca (the Fly) shown here is obsolete: the modern constellation Musca is in the southern skies.
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Related Topics and References

Topics

Key People

Johannes Hevelius.
Johannes Hevelius
Polish astronomer
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Johann Heinrich von Mädler
German astronomer
Beer, Wilhelm
Wilhelm Beer
German banker

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Nicolaus Copernicus. Nicolas Copernicus (1473-1543) Polish astronomer. In 1543 he published, forward proof of a Heliocentric (sun centered) universe. Coloured stipple engraving published London 1802. De revolutionibus orbium coelestium libri vi.
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