Leighton Library, Dunblane

Scotland's oldest purpose-built library founded in 1687

Mercator projection and first use of the word Atlas

Added at 07:37 on 05 March 2024

Dunblane's historic Leighton Library has a 1630 edition of "Atlas minor, ou Briefve description de tout le monde" by Flemish cartographer, philosopher & mathematician Gerardus Mercator who was born #OnThisDay, 5 March, 1512. He gave his name to the Mercator Projection. He is best known for his work in cartography, particular the world map of 1569 based on a new projection which represented sailing courses of constant bearing as straight lines. He was the first to use the term Atlas for a collection of maps