17th Century Constellations

Credit for both images: U.S. Naval Observatory, Space Telescope Science Institute

These remarkable illustrations come from the 17th century Uranographicarum star atlas by Johannis Hevelius, made available here, free for non-commercial use by the U.S. Naval Observatory and the Space Telescope Science Institute. Interestingly: “Hevilius pictured the celestial sphere from the outside looking in, so the views posted here are mirror images of how they should appear against a starfield seen from the center of the celestial sphere. (In other words, you have to flip them.)”