Johann Elert Bode. Rare copperplate engravings on 18th century laid paper, 25” x 36” image size. Produced in the 18th century, printed in 1801. From the only edition. Uranographia is the successor to the celestial atlases of Bayer, Hevelius and Flamsteed and was “the most extensive and largest of the great atlas of its kind”.

Bode’s Uranographia was the first atlas to depict virtually all the stars visible to the naked eye (i.e. down to sixth magnitude), plus a fair selection of those down to six times fainter (eighth magnitude). Over 17,000 stars are plotted, taken from the observations of various astronomers including Flamsteed, Lacaille, Lalande, and Bode himself. Bode intended the Uranographia to be comprehensive – and he certainly succeeded, for in addition to charting a greater number of stars than any previous cartographer he also depicted more constellations, over 100 of them. Among them were five constellations making their debut on this atlas: Felis and Globus Aerostaticus were both suggested by Lalande during the preparation of the atlas, while Lochium Funis, Machina Electrica, and Officina Typographica were invented by Bode himself. None of these five survived the test of time, however.

Sold as complete Atlas.

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