Antique French Astronomical Book Plate: Gaseous Proturberances During 1860 Solar Eclipse antique spades more beauty

more beauty

These Japanese hand-carved cedar (Cryptomeria) horny toads are pretty amazing for the manner in which their carved forms brilliantly correspond to the patterns of the  wood grain

which seems to suggest this bear's got something important to share if you'll just pay attention

and perfectly restrained

The squares are hand numbered in ink

Antique French Astronomical Book Plate: Gaseous Proturberances During 1860 Solar Eclipse antique spades more beautyI've been stalking antique prints book pages documenting astronomical phenomenon of late, and this is one of the most beautiful I've found. It portrays "proturberances gazeuses du soleil," which I believe are also known as prominences: large, bright, gaseous features extending outward from the Sun's surface in the photosphere. These were observed, and drawn, by French astronomer Warren de la Rue during the total solar eclipse in 1860 and how beautiful