Diverging from the previous artifacts shared in this section, this book seeks to illustrate the geography of not our terrestrial home, but rather our celestial home. Published in 1856 in New York by Hiram Mattison, Atlas Designed to Illustrate Burritt's Geography of the Heavens maps the stars and constellations. The images of this book are based on the knowledge provided in Elijah Burritt’s astronomy coursebook The Geography of the Heavens, and Class-Book of Astronomy: a Celestial Atlas. The focus of this book was to share previously written information in a more comprehensible and visually appealing way. 

Those interested either in astrology or astronomy can find images of intrigue in this text. On pages 7-8, the images of the constellations are presented in a circular format, with the constellations designated to specific months of the year. On pages 3-6, constellations of the zodiac, such as Taurus, Pisces, etc., can be found. Modern viewers recognizing these constellations can feel a sense of connection to the past. As the cultural importance of astrology continues to grow in the Western world, the inclusion of terms and images related to the field allows the modern viewer to feel connected to the era this text was created. 

Being an atlas, the images serve as the main way of conveying information in this artifact. While all these images convey information about the stars, there is additional artistry used to convey and bolster important information. Beyond mapping the constellations, the book features beautiful illustrations overlaid with the maps of the constellations. Examples of these can be seen when, for example, an illustration of a bear is correspondingly positioned with the Ursa Major constellation. The handmade quality of this piece garners additional respect for the images’ artistry. 

The text itself differs from the traditional idea of a book. This work is quite large and contains only 10 pages. Additionally, the text is constructed in a magazine style without a hardcover binding. The pages have what appear to be sheets of linen sewn between them, which was likely a added by a prior owner as an effort at conserving this delicate item. As a result of the construction and materials of this text, it has extensive damage. The most obvious damage comprises discoloration, tears, and tape marks on the title page. The existing damage to this book highlights the ephemerality of certain texts, and the need to appreciate and preserve this book, and others like it, for future generations.