1870 Proctor Map of the Constellations of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres

This is a beautiful 1870 set of two maps or charts depicting the stars and constellations of the night sky over the year, in the northern and southern hemispheres. Created by Richard A. Proctor, these maps are issued as index plates, in which the six northern and six southern maps are exhibited in their proper relative positions, all the stars to the fifth magnitude being shown with colored constellation figures. Constellations are beautifully drawn in detail and include depictions of the zodiacal figures the stars are said to represent.

The chart of the northern constellations includes Ursa Major (Great Bear or Big Dipper), discovered by Richard Proctor himself in 1869, Ursa Minor (the Little Bear or Little Dipper), Cancer, Hercules, Virgo, Taurus, Aries and several others. The chart of the southern constellations includes Pavo, Centaurus, Argo, Sagittarius, Capricorn and others.

These maps were engraved by A. Adlard and drawn by Richard A. Proctor and issued as part of the second edition of the 1870 issue of A Star Atlas for the Library, the School, and the Observatory.