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This is a star-chart depicting the constellations and features of the northern sky, by the Italian cartographer Antonio Zatta. Dozens of constellations are shown, and hundreds of stars have their brightness indicated. The chart is framed by elegant depictions of some of the most important observatories of Europe, including Greenwich, Copenhagen (Christian IV's version), Paris, and Cassel (Kassel). Along the roofs of the observatories, astronomers use various instruments to complete their work.
The star chart is detailed and shows many constellations visible from the northern hemisphere. Along the ecliptic line, the signs of the Zodiac may be seen, including Aquarius, Capricorn, Sagittarius, Scorpio, and Libra. The Milky Way is depicted running its course.
This chart was published in the alongside Zatta's Planisferio Celeste Settentrionale, which showed the stars of the southern sky. This latter work was framed by four famous Italian observatories.
Antonio Zatta (fl. 1757-1797) was a prominent Italian editor, cartographer, and publisher. Little is known about his life beyond his many surviving published works. It is possible that he was born as early as 1722 and lived as late as 1804. He lived in Venice and his work flourished between 1757 and 1797. He is best known for his atlas, Atlante Novissimo (1779-1785), and for his prolific output of prints and books that were both precisely made and aesthetically pleasing. Zatta clearly had a large network from which to draw information; this is how he was able to publish the first glimpse of the islands visited by Captain Cook in the Atlante Novissimo. Zatta also published books of plays and architecture.
![Globi Coelestis In Tabulas Planas Redacti Pars VI . . . [Argo Navis, Phoenix, Centaurus, Southern Cross, etc.]](https://storage.googleapis.com/raremaps/img/small/70928.jpg)
