celestial map – Scenographia Systematis Mundani Ptolemaici
1660
Published in 1660 within the lavish atlas Harmonia Macrocosmica, this chart visualizes the ancient Ptolemaic universe where Earth sits stubbornly at the center. Andreas Cellarius wrapped our planet in concentric rings representing the orbits of the moon, planets, and sun, all encircled by the zodiac signs in a classic Baroque style. While scientists were already embracing the sun-centered model by this time, this masterpiece serves as a colorful, nostalgic tribute to the old cosmos, complete with observing scholars and banner-holding angels in the corners.
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