Ophiuchus (Uranometria, 1603)

Highlights

• Ophiuchus Uranometria — a faithful reproduction of an antique celestial star chart.
• CHOOSE YOUR SIZE & FORMAT: Pick your dimensions and shape right from this listing — vertical, horizontal, panoramic and square options available.
• MUSEUM-QUALITY GICLEE: Fade-resistant archival inks on premium artist-grade canvas, hand-stretched and gallery-wrapped over a solid 1.5" wood frame, hardware attached and ready to hang.
• A REFINED FOCAL POINT for the living room, bedroom, study, home office or entryway — timeless style with lasting appeal.
• HANDCRAFTED IN THE USA: Made to order in multiple sizes and shapes — a thoughtful, gallery-worthy gift.

Description

This engraved celestial chart depicts Ophiuchus, the serpent-bearer constellation, rendered as a robed male figure surrounded by carefully plotted stars of varying magnitudes against a finely cross-hatched sky. The image comes from Johann Bayer's landmark star atlas Uranometria (1603), published in Augsburg and widely regarded as the first atlas to cover the entire celestial sphere — it introduced the still-used Bayer designation system for naming stars by Greek letter. The composition combines scientific precision with classical artistic illustration, characteristic of early 17th-century astronomical cartography.