On any given night here in Chicago, light pollution makes it difficult for us to get much of a look at the stars above, but (thankfully) we're also home to one of the world's top places to get a special look at the universe beyond what we can see with our eyes alone.
The Adler Planetarium has turned to its massive collection of celestial maps and atlases, the largest of its kind in the Western Hemisphere, to help offer context for their "Winter Sky Live!" seasonal show, which explores seasonal constellations, the Aurora Borealis and other solar system objects.
The planetarium kindly offered the images below, which help tell the story of how constellation imagery evolved over time, specifically between the 15th and 19th centuries, before it became the more sophisticated process it is today.
"Winter Sky Live!" continues through Jan. 5 at the Adler Planetarium, 1300 S. Lake Shore Drive. Images and text below courtesy the Adler.
