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Vintage-style map of Mars 


If you're into astronomy, cartography, and art, this map is an absolute delight. It's a scientifically-accurate medieval-style map of Mars, hand-drawn by Seattle-based illustrator Eleanor Lutz. It's called Here There Be Robots, a reference to the myth that cartographers from the Middle Ages would write "here be dragons" in areas that were unexplored.

"Recently I've been really into old maps made by medieval explorers," writes Eleanor on her blog. "I thought it would be fun to use their historical design style to illustrate our current adventures into unexplored territory."

She completed the map by using data from the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA), which includes topographic imagery from NASA, and cartography from the USGS Astrogeology Science Center. I really like the map's old time-y appeal. The Red Planet has never looked more otherworldly.



[h/t: Nerdist]

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