Bayer, Johann. Hercules, 1603 quad23 Sold by the order of

Sold by the order of their Board at Sotheby’s New York 18 October 1997 (lot 392)

#### Artistic and Cartographic Achievement

Paper size: 23 7/8 x 17 1/2 in

a successful commercial lithographer and publisher

Wightman (1792-1841) was a Stephen F

Bayer, Johann. Hercules, 1603 quad23 Sold by the order ofJohann Bayer Hercules From "Uranometria, omnium asterismorum continens schemata" Augsburg, 1603 approx.: 13 1 2" x 17" Bayer was the first accurate star atlas. A lawyer and amateur astronomer, he was the first to signify the location of the stars within a given constellation by the use of Greek letters (with the addition of the Latin alphabet for constellations with more than 24 stars). This strikingly simple innovation greatly improved the