The oldest and newest star maps

Here’s the oldest, recently displayed in the British Museum …

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And here’s the newest, visible in the sky above Stonehenge yesterday and tonight …

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Mercury rise and set in Stonehenge

Fairly close to the Sun. Visible only after sunset.

Thu, 29 Dec ↓20:23

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Venus rise and set in Stonehenge

View just after sunset.

Thu, 29 Dec ↓20:26

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Mars rise and set in Stonehenge

After sunset and most of the night. Fri, 30 Dec ↓03:38

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Jupiter rise and set in Stonehenge

View after sunset. Fri, 30 Dec ↓00:04

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Saturn rise and set in Stonehenge

View after sunset. Thu, 29 Dec ↓22:06

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Uranus rise and set in Stonehenge

View after sunset. Bring binoculars. Fri, 30 Dec ↓02:18

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Neptune rise and set in Stonehenge

View after sunset. Use binoculars. Thu, 29 Dec ↓23:40

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Here’s an irony: the oldest will be carefully preserved forever, and the newest, the one which will appear above an ancient observatory, (and all the ones that follow) will soon be deliberately hidden forever from travelers passing Stonehenge.