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19th Century astronomy illustrations are pre-photographic space porn

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Space porn connaisseurs are really spoiled today. Any time, any place, we can enjoy hot planetary action, peek in on writhing solar flares, or catch a glimpse of exotic star-on-star-on-planet relationships. But in the days before taking photos of space was a relatively simple proposition, astronomy buffs had to get their kicks with hand-drawn space porn.

All these gorgeous illustrations come from the French artist and astronomer Étienne Léopold Trouvelot.

[New York Public Library Digital Gallery via Retronaut]

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