Before the telescope, the sky was measured by magnificent brass machines — and none were grander than Tycho Brahe's, built on his island observatory of Uraniborg. His book pictures them in loving detail, above all the great mural quadrant with the astronomer himself portrayed at its heart, taking the measure of the stars. With these instruments Tycho charted the heavens more precisely than anyone before, and his data let Kepler unlock the laws of the planets. The last, most beautiful flowering of astronomy by the naked eye.

Maker: Tycho Brahe
Date: 1598
Medium of the original: Plate
Original held by: Published Wandsbek · Linda Hall Library
Credit: Published Wandsbek · Linda Hall Library
Rights: Public domain, verified
Catalogue number: PA-00981

As chosen: 8 x 12 in, art print, classic frame
Picture	8 x 12 in
Outside size	9.6 x 13.6 in
Depth	0.9 in (22 mm)
Weight	[[REAL PROOF NEEDED: shipped weight per size and frame]]
Hanging	[[REAL PROOF NEEDED: hanging hardware Prodigi fits to this frame]]
Material	Enhanced matte art paper, 200 gsm; acrylic glazing
Made in	Charlotte, North Carolina, by Prodigi

Before a size goes on sale, the file is measured against it: pixels per inch at that size, how much of the picture a crop would lose, tone and sharpness. A size that fails is not offered, so there is nothing to choose wrong.

How the print check works

Sizes offered
Size	dpi	Grade	How it fits
8 x 10 in	187	Good	Trimmed 7.4%
8 x 12 in	168	Good	Trimmed 10%

Sizes withheld
Size	Why
11 x 14 in	136 dpi; a historical scan is never enlarged
12 x 16 in	124 dpi; a historical scan is never enlarged
12 x 18 in	112 dpi; a historical scan is never enlarged
16 x 20 in	93 dpi; a historical scan is never enlarged
16 x 24 in	84 dpi; a historical scan is never enlarged
18 x 24 in	83 dpi; a historical scan is never enlarged
20 x 30 in	67 dpi; a historical scan is never enlarged
24 x 30 in	62 dpi; a historical scan is never enlarged
24 x 36 in	56 dpi; a historical scan is never enlarged
30 x 40 in	49 dpi; a historical scan is never enlarged
36 x 48 in	41 dpi; a historical scan is never enlarged
40 x 60 in	33 dpi; a historical scan is never enlarged

Scanned: 2026-10-07
Master file: 1,499 x 2,024 px, srgb, sRGB IEC61966-2.1
Tone: Darks 35, lights 231 of 255; 0% clipped light, 0% clipped dark
Colour: 0% vivid
Sharpness: 44.41