The Geography of the Skies

Abstract

Conceptions about the regions beyond Earth have evolved over many centuries, and the chapter explores how ancient cultures used mythological beings to explain the nature of stars and the sky. Numerous examples of star tales and beliefs are given to illustrate the ways in which the geography of the skies also convey cultural values to people. The nature of space, the “sublunar realm", and space travel were discussed for many centuries, and examples of how medieval and Renaissance Europe conceptualized the regions above Earth are described. The development of the concept of aether, the “music of the spheres” and other notions about space are described. Representations of the skies from a wide variety of world cultures, including ancient Egypt, China, and more modern representations from the Islamic World and Europe are presented. Within these maps of the skies are models for the solar system, and the evolution of these models are conveyed with examples from maps across the centuries. European star charts, including the medieval Aratea, charts from Peter Apian, and from Durer, display increasing levels of detail and mirror the increasing sophistication of maps of the Earth from the same era. With the development of accurate star charts such as those from Flamsteed, astronomers had tools that enabled further discoveries and increased their ability to note the appearance and apparent motions of comets. This chapter describes this progression of sophistication and the ways in which star maps enabled discoveries in astronomy.