bavarikon4UDescription
Gerhard Mercator (1512-1594) produced the celestial globe, which was part of the terrestrial globe from 1541, for the first time in 1551. They were then mostly sold in pairs. According to Mercator's ideas, the celestial globe was to be the most accurate of its time. In the process he already used the heliocentric world view according to Copernicus to determine the correct position of the stars for the time around 1550. Antinous and Cincinnus (Berenice's Hair) can be found on it in addition to the classic 48 constellations. The majority of the area around the South Pole is unprinted, as this region was not yet mapped at that time. The sphere is covered with card with a plaster chalk base, with twelve segments running to the celestial poles, each covered with circular polar caps. A dedication to the Catholic Archbishop of Liège, George of Austria (reigned 1544-1557) is printed near the celestial equator. To the west of it are details of the place and date of manufacture (Louanij anno Domini 1551 mense Aprili) and another small cartouche with a text prohibiting the imitation or distribution of the globe for ten years within the empire. The frame is designed in the same way as that of the complementary terrestrial globe.
Author
Siglinde Kurz