Johann Schöner

Johann Schöner was a German astronomer who created the first printed globe of the Earth in 1515. This was a monumental milestone in cartography, made possible by the recent influx of New World discoveries from explorers like Christopher Columbus and Amerigo Vespucci.

Yes, in addition to his terrestrial globes, Schöner also produced some of the earliest printed celestial globes. He published a notable globe of the fixed stars in 1517, which helped standardize astronomical navigation during the Renaissance.

Schöner was one of the first cartographers to depict a massive southern continent, often referred to as *Terra Australis*, on his globes. He hypothesized the existence of this landmass to balance the weight of the Northern Hemisphere on Earth.

Schöner played a key role in disseminating early New World discoveries by rapidly mapping the new data brought back by explorers. He corresponded with prominent intellectual figures of his time and helped legitimize the growing realization that the Americas were a distinct continent.