- Title: Les Etoiles Fixes Divsees En Constellations Boreales et Australes d'apres le Catalogue de Sir.
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Author: J. Andriveau-Goujon
- Date: 1842
- Condition: Excellent - Even, overall age toning with a clean, sharply defined centerfold
- Inches: 25 1/4 x 18 1/2 [Image]
- Centimeters: 64.13 x 46.99 [Image]
- Product ID: 308619
This exceptionally detailed double hemisphere chart presents the northern and southern skies, meticulously illustrating the major constellations as categorized by Sir Francis Baily. A supplementary chart displays the monthly progression of constellations in reverse sequence from March through April, offering a dynamic view of the celestial dome’s changing features.
Sir Francis Baily, regarded as one of the foremost English astronomers of the early 19th century, began his career in finance after traveling through North America in 1796–1797. He built a reputation as an influential actuarial writer and retired in 1825 to fully dedicate himself to astronomy. Baily played a key role in founding the Royal Astronomical Society in 1820 and was instrumental in developing important star catalogs, reforming the Nautical Almanac, and revising stellar data from luminaries such as Lalande, La Caille, Mayer, Ptolemy, Ulugh Beg, Tycho Brahe, Halley, and Hevelius. His observation of the phenomenon known as “Baily’s Beads” during the 1836 annular solar eclipse ushered in a new era of eclipse expeditions and further solidified his legacy in astronomical research.
Background on Creator
J. Andriveau-Goujon (1832-1897) was a prominent Parisian mapmaker and publisher active throughout the 19th century, known for producing numerous maps and atlases that often-featured collaboration with leading French cartographers such as Brue and Levasseur. The publishing house, originally formed when Eugène Andriveau married the daughter of Jean Goujon, became renowned for its high-quality publications under the Andriveau-Goujon name, which was used by multiple generations of the family. The firm's offerings were highly regarded until its stock was acquired by M. Barrère in 1892.