Course Catalog

Celestial Mapping

All maps tell a story and are products of their times. Maps of the heavens are no exception. Star maps show the relative locations of the stars in constellations and are useful for planting, navigation, and storytelling. Cosmological maps depict the position of the Earth in the heavens according to then-held views of the Solar System. Planetary maps define the surface of the planets and moons as seen through telescopes or visiting space probes. Class lectures will trace the fascinating story of how the heavens have been mapped from antiquity to the present day. Through the use of beautiful images from antiquarian and modern sources, how these maps relate to cultural, artistic, and scientific ideas of their times will be discussed. Week 1: Constellations and Early Star Maps Week 2: The Golden Age Week 3: Frontispieces and Title Pages; Early American Star Maps Week 4: Transition to Modern Star Atlases Week 5: Solar System Maps Week 6: Pictorial Maps; Celestial Images in Art

This class is not available at this time.

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