planisphere

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illustration of the walking titanosaurus, Patagotitan mayorum

Titanosaurs: 8 of the World's Biggest Dinosaurs

Lusitania sinking, illustration from The War of the Nations (New York), December 31, 1919. World War I, WWI. This image is one of three on the page. (See source file for the other two.)

7 of the World’s Deadliest Shipwrecks

Ruminant. Deer. Red deer. Cervus elaphus. Buck. Stag. Antlers.

9 of the World’s Deadliest Mammals

Chinese dragon sculpture or statue.

10 Legendary Creatures from Around the World

The tomb of Saint Nicholas in the crypt of the Basilica di San Nicola, Bari, Apulia, Italy

Do the Relics of Saint Nicholas Really Emit a Holy Substance?

Mona Lisa, oil on wood panel by Leonardo da Vinci, c. 1503-06; in the Louvre, Paris, France. 77 x 53 cm.

Why Is the Mona Lisa So Famous?

Nativity Scene, Adoration of the Magi, Church of the Birth of the Virgin Mary, Montenegro

Why Is Christmas in December?

planisphere

device

Also known as: planispheric astrolabe

Learn about this topic in these articles:

astrolabes

In astrolabe
One widely employed variety, the planispheric astrolabe, enabled astronomers to calculate the position of the Sun and prominent stars with respect to both the horizon and the meridian. It provided them with a plane image of the celestial sphere and the principal circles—namely, those representing the ecliptic, celestial equator, and…
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star maps and globes

In astronomical map: Nature and significance
The first printed planispheres (representations of the celestial sphere on a flat surface) were produced in 1515, and printed celestial globes appeared at about the same time.
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