We love maps. They can convey so much, yet so much is left unsaid. They ignite the imagination. Writers are often inspired by this heavenly map; the handcrafted, blank, lined Stargazer Map of the Heavens Journal with its celestial form is ideal for prose or poetry alike, and serves nicely as a star journal, stargazers diary, travel diary, astronomy journal, astrological journal, or as a record book for your interstellar travels–and makes a perfect gift for yourself or others. The Stargazer Map of the Heavens Journal is coptic bound, which allows the book to be opened joining the front and back covers together into one large viewable map of both the Northern and Southern constellations, and every page lays perfectly flat due to the hand-stitched binding. Features a memento accordion pouch in the back to keep all of those loose odds-and-ends in one easy-to-access place. A handy, elastic, end-leaf enclosure marks your place, or encloses the entire book. Also available in an 5x7 sized journal. Nice as a set with our Western Hemisphere Terrestrial Map Journal.

Wide Open Front and Back Cover View.

Journal Details
Measuring 7 x 9 x .6 inches, our Stargazer Map of the Heavens Journal richly illustrates constellations of the northern and southern celestial hemispheres, in color, and includes all 13 Zodiac constellations. This lined, blank, writing journal features fine reproductions from an original work entitled Planisphaerium Coeleste created by the prolific Dutch map engraver, publisher, and artist Frederick de Wit (1630-1706), and illustrates most of the constellations as figures according to classical Greek and Roman mythology. Inside are 128 softly lined, wide-ruled, archival quality, pH balanced, acid-free, lignin-free, cream colored pages; and in the back is a handy memento accordion pouch, all held together with an elastic closure.

Back Cover View: Stargazer Map of the Heavens Journal.

More on the Journal's Star Maps
People have been naming groups of stars, now called constellations, since before the beginning of recorded history. These man-named constellations serve as a way to help understand the appearing and disappearing stars; tapping into their ideological, mythological, religious, navigational, and horological (the science of keeping time) importances. JOURNALSandBOOKS.com is proud to offer a full array of journals, books, and gifts to help you gain insight from and enjoy the rich beauty of the heavens.

Frederick de Wit‘s maps are as much sought after today for their decorative beauty and rich imagery as they were revered and respected in the 17th century for their superior standard of astronomical detail. The outer borders of the Stargazer Map of the Heavens Journal's front and back covers are decorated with six inset diagrams, among clouds, showing the planetary models of: Tycho Brahe (Hypothesis Tychonica), Claudius Ptolemaeus (Hypothesis Ptolemaica), and Nicolaus Copernicus (Hypothesis Copernicana); as well as the Illumination of the Moon by the Sun (Illuminatio Luna), the Revolution of the Earth Around the Sun (Astus Maris per Motum Luna), and the Effect of the Moon on Tides (Motus Terra Annui Circa Solem).

About the Paper
Lovely, smooth, acid-free, lignin-free, extra-thick, cream colored pages fill the journal; this along with a superior binding method, give our book a long term archival survivability of over 100 years! The inside paper is superiorly engineered, and ideally suited for modern writing instruments such as: ballpoint pens, rollerball pens, gel pens, marker pens, most technical pens, and pencils; writing with these instruments is exceptionally smooth. Bleed through is not a problem as the paper is 5.5 mil thick. Due to the archival engineering of the paper, some Sumi inks may not form an even spread on the page. While some fountain pens write just fine on this paper, we recommend the use of modern pen or pencil, as non-modern era inks work best on paper manufactured just for calligraphy (see our calligraphy blank books).

Detailed View: Using the Memento Accordion Pouch.

Memento Accordion Pouch
A large memento accordion pouch, in the back of the journal, is ideal for storing odds and ends, money, your passport, plane tickets, a small book, family photos, and whatever else you want to tuck away–very handy! While this 8.5 x 6 inch, cloth gusseted, memento accordion pouch expands to a full 1.5 inches at its opening, and is technically large enough to fit a whole balogna sandwich, we don't recommend using your journal as a replacement for a lunch box, as your lunch would get smashed to the size of a pancake!

Editor's Note: I can easily fit my quarter inch thick pocket museum guide (which is too big to fit in my pocket!) into the memento accordion pouch–as the Coptic Binding has the ability to withstand the added .25 inch thickness without breaking the book–no modern binding would do that!

Detailed Spine View: Coptic Binding Benefits.

Close up View (above): Coptic Binding Hand-stitching Detail.

Benefit of Coptic Binding: Lays Perfectly Flat for Ease of Writing.

About the Stargazer Map of the Heavens Journal's Coptic Binding
Coptic bound journals are ideal for writing, either right or left handed, on either side of the page. Coptic Binding was introduced in the far east more than 2000 years ago and is a MORE DURABLE binding method than standard adhesive or modern sewn bindings. If you removed the cover on a modern bound book, it would be very evident why many binding methods fail–they are not bound by a means that will withstand extended use. Why coptic binding doesn't need to rely on any additional, and mostly cosmetic, coverings over the spine is clear the moment you open the journal. The extremely thick thread used in coptic binding is six times the size of threads commonly used in modern binding techniques, and provides great advantages as no paper, cloth, or other encumbrance is needed over the bound edge. Coptic bound journals serve the needs of writers and readers better; lending to comfortable handing and the long term archival qualities of the book.

Coptic Stitching is a unique looking non-adhesive hand-stitched binding method introduced during the 4th century A.D., in ancient Egypt, by the Copts and followers of the Christian Coptic Church. Various forms of coptic stitching techniques have remained popular for over 1500 years, especially in the East, and are still in use today. The spine of the book is usually left exposed when a coptic stitching technique is used. The type of knot that is used in the journals and blank books that JOURNALSandBOOKS.com sells is called a chain stitch–appreciated by bookmakers and booklovers alike for its intricate beauty. Chain stitching allows the book to open fully, 360 degrees, without damage to the book! While machines can be used to sew a coptic stitch, hand-stitching is still preferred; as such, this journal is completely hand-stitched in the finest tradition. The combination of an open-backed binding method and the braided look of a coptic stitch yields an attractive and distinctive journal.

Coptic stitching uses separate threads in pairs or groups. Waxed linen thread is used for ease of handling. Pages are grouped together into signatures, which is common to most methods of book making; however, coptic signatures are not cinched too tightly, and have roughly 10 times the thread for a more secure grip. One of the greatest advantages to coptic stitching is that it allows the book to lay completely flat without stress to the spine or damage to the book. Sketchbooks and journals are ideally bound using coptic stitching as artists and writers especially enjoy unfettered access to the entire page without bending at the spine. Journal pages and signatures hold even tighter, and do not shift around loosely without the use of glue or posts, yielding a durable archival quality book.

Cover images Planisphaerium Coeleste by Frederick de Wit (1630-1706) image courtesy Jonathan Potter Ltd., London