De le Stelle Fisse: Teaching the Constellations

The intent of Piccolomini’s De le Stelle Fisse was to teach its readers how to identify the constellations in the heavens, at any time of the year. For this purpose, Piccolomini designed an original method that utilizes a series of maps and tables which constitute the main features of his book. His approach is rightly acclaimed as the distant forerunner of what became in later centuries a successful genre of popular literature aimed at amateur star-gazers.