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Fra Mauro
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Fra Mauro was a 15th century Italian Camaldolese monk from the island of Murano near Venice. He was also a mapmaker, who in 1457 mapped the totality of the Old world with surprising accuracy, including extensive written comments reflecting the geographic knowledge of his time.
Fra Mauro created the map under a commission by king Alfonso V of Portugal. Andrea Bianco, a sailor-cartographer, is recorded as having collaborated with Fra Mauro in creating the map, as payments made to him between 1448 and 1459 testify. The map was completed on April 24, 1459, and sent to Portugal, but didn't survive. Along with the map was a letter from the ruler of Venice. It was for Prince Henry the Navigator, Alfonso V's uncle. It encouraged the prince to continue funding exploratory journeys. Fra Mauro died the next year while he was making a copy of the map for the Seignory of Venice, and the copy was completed by Andrea Bianco. A contemporary commemorative medal in honour of his cartographic work describes Fra Mauro as "geographus incomparabilis".
The Fra Mauro crater and associated Fra Mauro formation of the Moon are named after him; they were visited by the Apollo 14 astronauts. The Apollo 13 astronauts attempted to visit Fra Mauro but were stopped by the explosion of the No. 2 Oxygen Tank.