Star Spangled Globes p. 6

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Q: Are these globes very expensive for a collector?

A: The early ones we looked at today, like the Dudley Adams, those globes cost thousands of dollars. But 20th century celestial globes are in a more moderate price range -- a few hundred dollars.

Martha Stewart: Well there is so much of interest in celestial globes, I can see where one can become very passionate indeed. Thank you so much George for sharing your collection of globes and your celestial knowledge.

Further Exploration

Books about Antique Celestial Maps:

Unfortunately some are out of print, but might be available through used bookstores, abebooks.com or alibris.com. They are large format, illustrated colorplate books.

Sesti, Giuseppe Maria The Glorious Constellations: History and Mythology, Harry N. Abrams, New York: 1991

Snyder, George Sergeant Maps of the Heavens, Abbeville Press, New York: 1984

Stott, Carole Celestial Charts: Antique Maps of the Heavens, Crescent Books, New York: 1991

Books about Constellations Names, Myths and Legends:

Generally these are still in print, and give the stories behind the constellation names, and star and planetary lore from around the world.

Allen, Richard Hinckley Star Names: Their Lore and Meaning, Dover Publications, New York: 1963 reprint of an 1899 book

Krupp, E.C. Beyond the Blue Horizon: Myths and Legends of the Sun, Moon, Stars, and Planets, Oxford University Press: New York, 1991

Staal, Julius D.W. The New Patterns in the Sky: Myths and Legends of the Stars, McDonald and Woodward: Blacksburg, Virginia: 1988

Rey, H.A. Find the Constellations, Houghton Mifflin, New York: 1976
This classic beginner's guide by the author of the Curious George books is written for children, but is useful for adults, too.

Stott, Carole The Greenwich Guide to Stargazing, Cambridge University Press, New York: 1989
An excellent pocket guide to the constellations.

Contemporary Celestials:

Constellation Figures, Paintings, Reliefs, Murals by our webmaster, Helen Glazer

NASA Image Gallery