Engraving of historical astronomy instruments.

Horoscope chart of Louis XIV cast by his astrologer, J.B. Morin of Villefranche, from Astrologia Gallica (the Hague 1661). Early horoscope diagrams were drawn in the shape of a square.

The great equatorial telescope of the Paris observatory. 1883.

New and gigantic telescope, designed by Daniel C. Chapman 1874.

Illustration of sky design.

Horoscope chart of Louis XIV cast by his astrologer, J.B. Morin of Villefranche, from Astrologia Gallica (the Hague 1661). Early horoscope diagrams were drawn in the shape of a square.

William Herschel discovered Uranus in 1781 with this telescope.

Six Mechanical Arts: Textile, Work, Smithing, Navigation, Agriculture, Hunting and Medicine. c.1475 from Rodericus Zamorensis, Speculum Vitae Humanae.

17th century illustration of agriculture.

Title page from "The Epitome of the whole art of husbandry" by Joseph Blagrave, 1675.

"The figure of a fearful comet", from Dr. Ambroise Pare's 'Surgery', gives a subjective impression of the comet of 1664-5. Swords, daggers, coffins, and men's heads were supposed to be omens of plague, and plague did indeed break out in London in June of 1665, within 3 months of the comet's visit.

Cast for Albrecht von Wallenstein when he was 25 by the astronomer Johannes Kepler, accurately foretold a life of ambition and violence. The center square gives the date and time of his birth and identifies him in German as 'The Noble Man'; the figures in the triangles note the positions of various heavenly bodies that influence 12 areas of his personality.

Cast for Albrecht von Wallenstein when he was 25 by the astronomer Johannes Kepler, accurately foretold a life of ambition and violence. The center square gives the date and time of his birth and identifies him in German as 'The Noble Man'; the figures in the triangles note the positions of various heavenly bodies that influence 12 areas of his personality.

A comet over an administrative building of the monastery of Einsiedeln in Zurich on the night before the 10th March, 1742.

A comet over an administrative building of the monastery of Einsiedeln in Zurich on the night before the 10th March, 1742.

Fludd's book on metaphysics. Title page of the 1617 work Utriusque Cosmi, Maioris scilicet et Minoris, metaphysica, physica, atque technica Historia (The metaphysical, physical, and technical history of the two worlds, namely the greater and the lesser) by the English physician, astrologer, and mystic Robert Fludd (1574-1637). The Latin text gives the book's title, the name of the author, and a description of the contents. The artwork at bottom shows Fludd's theory of the microcosm and the macrocosm, with a human figure straddling the microcosm (the inner world), surrounded by the macrocosm (the outer world).

The hierarchy of the universe, by Robert Fludd, 1617. The soul descends from perfect unity in the heavens to multiplicity on earth, but seeks to re-ascend. The cosmos is divided here into 3 realms: the elemental, the celestial and the spiritual. To Fludd, the spheres of the planets were both real places and stages in a spiritual progress.

The hierarchy of the universe, by Robert Fludd, 1617. The soul descends from perfect unity in the heavens to multiplicity on earth, but seeks to re-ascend. The cosmos is divided here into 3 realms: the elemental, the celestial and the spiritual. To Fludd, the spheres of the planets were both real places and stages in a spiritual progress.

As Samuel Colt originally envisioned his repeating pistol in the patent drawing above, it was to have chambers for 10 cartridges. Other changes, including raising the caliber from 34 to .44, were suggested by a texas ranger, Sam Walker.

As Samuel Colt originally envisioned his repeating pistol in the patent drawing above, it was to have chambers for 10 cartridges. Other changes, including raising the caliber from 34 to .44, were suggested by a texas ranger, Sam Walker.