SkyEye

The Owl

Alexander Jamieson (1782–1850) was a Scottish writer, teacher, and actuary. In 1822 he published his Celestial Atlas Comprising A Systematic Display Of The Heavens In A Series Of Thirty Maps which was restricted to naked-eye stars and thus, was much less cluttered than other star atlases of the time. It contained three of his own creations, including Noctua. Two years later, the popular Urania's Mirror was produced. Based on Jamieson's designs, this set of star chart cards contained punched holes, enabling the user to hold them up to the light to see the pattern of the stars. Card #32 showed Hydra with an owl sitting on its tail. The owl replaced a thrush, Turdus Solitarius, which had been perched on the water serpent since 1776. Neither bird has survived to the modern day.