The Astronomy of Milton's 'Paradise Lost'

Astronomy is the oldest and most sublime of all the sciences. To a contemplative observer of the heavens, the number and brilliancy of the stars, the lustre of the planets, the...

The seventeenth century embraces the most remarkable epoch in the whole history of astronomy. It was during this period that those wonderful discoveries were made which have bee...

It would be reasonable to imagine that Milton's knowledge of astronomy was comprehensive and accurate, and superior to that possessed by most scientific men of his age. His scho...

After the death of his mother, which occurred in 1637, Milton expressed a desire to visit the Continent, where there were many places of interest which he often longed to see. H...

The great path of the Sun among the constellations as seen from the Earth is called the Ecliptic. It is divided into 360 deg., and again into twelve equal parts of 30 deg., call...

The celestial vault, that, like a circling canopy of sapphire hue, stretches overhead from horizon to horizon, resplendent by night with myriad stars of different magnitudes and...

TRIPLE, QUADRUPLE, AND MULTIPLE STARS.--These, when observed with the naked eye, appear as single stars, but, when examined with a high magnifying power, each lucid point can be...

The surpassing splendour of the Sun, as compared with that of any of the other orbs of the firmament, is not more impressive than his stupendous magnitude, and the important fun...

The theme chosen by Milton for his great epic, viz. the Fall of Man and his expulsion from Paradise--perhaps the most momentous incident in the history of the human race--was on...