A monumental globe, painted with swirling clouds and scattered golden stars, dominates the centre of Astronomy by Raphael. A female figure in a flowing green robe leans over the sphere, her right hand resting firmly on its surface while her left arm is raised, palm open as if gesturing or invoking. Her gaze is directed downward, focused intently on the globe below her, suggesting concentration and study.

Two winged putti hover at either side, each standing on a cloud and holding a red book pressed to their chests. The putto on the left looks toward the central figure, while the one on the right glances outward, their expressions serene and attentive. The background is rendered in a golden mosaic pattern, filling the space with a sense of radiance and timelessness.

The composition is tightly framed by a painted border of interlocking white and grey motifs, enclosing the celestial scene. Light falls from the upper left, illuminating the folds of the green dress and casting gentle shadows along the figure’s arms and the globe’s surface. The paint is applied with soft, blended transitions, especially in the modelling of the flesh and drapery, while the globe’s surface is marked by fine cracks and subtle tonal shifts.

Small gold dots scattered across the globe represent stars, their placement carefully integrated into the painted constellations. Raphael creates a sense of balance by placing the central figure above the globe, flanked symmetrically by the two putti, each element contributing to the unity of the scene.