Celestial table globe

Celestial table globe. Astronomical details on the sphere show a labelled magnitude table to the left of Auriga. The Milky Way and the Magellanic Clouds are labelled, and there are labels for the nova in Cassiopeia, Cygnus and Ophiuchus. There are also labels for comets with dates in seven constellations. A total of six stars and four star groups are named. The 48 Ptolemaic constellations and four of the non-Ptolemaic constellations are drawn. Eight southern constellations are drawn as well as those of Plancius.

The constellations are drawn in a style which differs from the then popular Saenredam style, first introduced on Blaeu's 340 mm celestial globe of 1598/9. Habrecht appears to have copied a number of non-Ptolemaic constellations from one of the globes of van den Keere and Plancius, where, for the first time, a group of new constellations were depicted. As Habrecht's globe is, so far, the oldest known source with the constellation Rhombus, he is credited with its discovery. For full details about the cartography and construction of this globe please refer to the related publication.

Object Details

ID: GLB0118
Collection: Astronomical and navigational instruments; Charts and maps
Type: Table globe
Display location: Not on display
Creator: II, Isaac Habrecht; Petrus Plancius, Petrus
Date made: Plates produced: circa 1621; Plates produced: circa 1621; Globe assembled: 1690 Globe assembled: 1690
Credit: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London, Caird Collection
Measurements: Overall: 290 x 310 mm; Diameter of sphere: 204 mm; Diameter of Meridian Ring: 235 mm