Rare separately published wall map of the Northern Celestial Hemisphere and other solar, lunar and celestial phenomena, published in Milan by Antonio Vallardi.
Vallardi's wall map is a remarkable set of illustrations. Centered on a large depiction of the northern skies, the milky way and dozens of stars are shown, with the outlines of the constellations of the northern hemisphere outlined in red.
Arrayed around the main image are 10 additional images, including:
- An Image of the Sun
- A Sun Spot
- An Image of the Moon
- "The Zodiacal Light"
- Illustrations of the Surface of Mars on July 25, 1860 and August 25, 1856.
- Portion of the moon at high magnification
- Models of the Major Comets Orbiting the Sun
- Model of the Solar System
- Celestial Coordinate System
The map was prepared at time when there was a keen interest in Mars within the astronomical community, when astronomers were actively observing and mapping the surface of the planet. The interest in Mars was spurred by advancements in telescope technology and a growing fascination with the possibility of life on other planets. Astronomers like Giovanni Schiaparelli and later Percival Lowell contributed significantly to the study of Mars, although their work came slightly later in the century. Schiaparelli's observations in 1877 led to the identification of features he termed "canali," which were mistakenly interpreted by some as artificial canals, sparking much speculation about Martian civilization.
Rarity
The map is apparently unrecorded. We also were unable to find a prospective companion under the title Emisfero Australe.
We find no records for the map in OCLC or any other reference work.