Camelopardalis (Giraffe) Tarandus, Custos Messium Postcard

Antique Constellation Print / Astronomical Chart Camelopardalis, Tarandus and Custos Messium Camelopardalis is a large but faint constellation in the northern sky. The constellation was introduced in 1612 (or 1613) by Petrus Plancius. Some older astronomy books give an alternative spelling of the name, Camelopardus. The faintness of the constellation, and that of the nearby constellation Lynx, led to the early Greeks considering this area of the sky to be empty. Camelopardalis was not defined as a constellation until the seventeenth century and thus has no mythology associated with its stars. First attested in English in 1785, the word camelopardalis comes from the Latin and it is the romanisation of the Greek "καμηλοπάρδαλις" meaning "giraffe" Tarandus: Rangifer was a small constellation located between the constellations of Cassiopeia and Camelopardalis. It is also known as Tarandus. Both words mean "reindeer" in Latin. "Rangifer" is the generic name of the reindeer, and "tarandus" is the specific name. The constellation Rangifer was created by the French astronomer Lemonnier in 1736 to commemorate the expedition of Maupertuis to Lapland. Geodetical observations from the expedition proved Earth's oblateness. The constellation is no longer in use. Custos Messium the harvest-keeper is named Erndtehüter in german and Mietitore in Italian.The constelaltion was created 1775 by La Lande formed from stars near to the pole,between Camelopard, Cassiopeia and Cepheus.the constelaltion is no longer recognised by astronomers. Hand-colored engraving on card created by Sidney Hall for Jehoshaphat Aspin's 1825 work, A Familiar Treatise on Astronomy. Original cards have holes where the stars are to let light shine through. High Resolution image suitable for large or small copies. This is a reproduction and may have been digitally enhanced to repair flaws, major stains, etcetera. The images are reproduced here from very high resolution digital files, so you can be confident that the quality will remain the best. All of the Fine Art, Vintage Reproductions, Classic Prints, and other Antique Images in our gallery have been carefully edited, cleaned up and placed on products to provide the best possible results. We may not have as many items for sale as some of the bulk stores, but please be assured that we pay attention to the details and design each product for maximum positive effect. Image courtesy of OldBookArt.com.