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1782 · D17563 — Berlin: Bey Gottlieb August Lange 1782. First Edition thus. Hardcover. Very Good. Oblong folio 210 x 270mm. Pagination: viii 32pp. title 34 leaves of plates and 2 leaves of manuscript indices in German comprising registers based on Bode’s Uranographie and dated 1801 bound in at end. Signatures: 4 a-e4 A-D4. Letterpress title page and text within twice-ruled borders. 34 hand-colored copperplate engravings and pictorial title page group of putti surrounding globe at base of column inscribed “Die Gestirne” signed by “D. Berger Sculpt. 1782” i.e. Daniel Berger 1744–1825 all finely colored in a contemporary hand for the major star constellations and groups. Bode’s plates have been celebrated for their accuracy and as elegantly rendered depictions of the zodiacal beasts constellations and other celestial bodies. Near contemporary calf; rebacked spine gilt with title “Flamstead Gestirne” corners carefully repaired; some light overall browning but plate colors remain fresh and bright a beautiful copy of this classic and significant work for astronomy. <br/><br/>First edition of Johann Elert Bode’s German version the Vorstellung der Gestirne after the smaller French Flamsteed star atlas by Fortin in 1776. In all the same but enlarged with Bode’s newly engraved plates which included about 50 percent additional stars and constellations in improved positions over the 5000 stars included in Flamsteed’s coordinate system. The Vorstellung der Gestirne was updated and reissued one more time by Bode in 1805 only after J. J. de Lalande and Pierre F. A. Mechain published their updated version of Fortin’s star atlas in 1795 and Christian Goldbach published his version in 1799. Johann Elert Bode 1747–1826 royal astronomer and director of the Berlin Observatory for almost 40 years sought to improve the coverage and accuracy of celestial cartography in his time he also wanted to provide charts for the amateur astronomer. Working alongside such contemporaries as Charles Messier 1730–1817 who first published the Messier objects list in 1771 and then again in 1781 Bode’s Vorstellung der Gestirne also identified non-stellar objects like nebulae clusters and binary stars. The expert engraver of these whimsical night sky pictures Daniel Berger 1744–1825 came from a family of Berlin-based artists who were highly trained and well-regarded in their trade. This copy of the Vorstellung der Gestirne incorporates two manuscript leaves of added indices; the first register was based on Bode’s later and larger star catalogue: the Uranographia sive Astrorum Descriptio 1801 containing summary counts and comparisons for stars. The other comprises a list about meridians arranged by time midnight and by the first day of the month. Doubtless an avid 19th century student of astronomy keenly familiar with Bode’s works poured over both publications in order to create a larger reference system. It is an utterly unique addition to an already extraordinary publication representing the best in astronomical illustration and scientific advancement in the Age of Enlightenment. OCLC locates several copies in the US at usual institutions rarer to market OCLC no. 316811582; also 23643176; 692360174; 518813937. Bey Gottlieb August Lange hardcover