Astronomical Myths: Based on Flammarions's "History of the Heavens"

A comprehensive survey of how ancient and medieval peoples conceived the heavens, tracing early observations, mythic explanations, and the origins of constellations and the zodiac. It reviews regional traditions and artifacts from Celtic, Babylonian, Egyptian, and Greek sources while treating focal subjects such as the Pleiades, comets, and eclipses. The work compares cosmographic models and successive astronomical systems, discusses the rise of telescopic observation, and outlines the interplay between astronomy, religion, and astrology. Chapters also address timekeeping, calendars, maps, legendary medieval cosmographies, and apocalyptic ideas, with illustrations and charts used to clarify star charts, calendars, and historical world maps.