Plate illustrates the moon's craters (figure 20), an armillary sphere (figure 21), celestial positioning (figures 19, 22-24, 26) and a comet (figure 25). This plate comes from the "Astronomie" section of Volume 5 of the Recueil de Planches, sur les Sciences, les Arts Libéraux, et les Arts Méchaniques, avec leur Explication, which consists of illustrated plates to accompany the volumes of text from the Encyclopédie, ou Dictionnaire Raisonné des Sciences, des Arts et des Métiers (Encyclopedia, or a Systematic Dictionary of the Sciences, Arts, and Crafts).

Considered the greatest encyclopedia of science, the Encyclopédie, ou Dictionnaire Raisonné des Sciences, des Arts et des Métiers established terminology, concepts and procedures for many fields of science and technology. Dating from 18th century France and considered an influence for the French Revolution, this encyclopedia informed and educated the public on various scientific topics, being a core ideal of the Enlightenment.