27:
138:. He falls asleep while reading about her. He recounts a strange dream he had from reading that book. The dream begins with Kepler reading a book about Duracotus, an Icelandic boy who is 14 years old. Duracotus's mother, Fiolxhilde, makes a living selling bags of herbs and cloth with strange markings on them. After he cuts into one of these bags and ruins her sale, Duracotus is sold by Fiolxhilde to a skipper. He travels with the skipper for a while until a letter is to be delivered to
230:, suggesting that an observer on the Moon would find the planet's movements as clearly visible as the Moon's activity is to the Earth's inhabitants. Nearly 20 years later, Kepler added the dream framework, and after another decade, he drafted a series of explanatory notes reflecting upon his turbulent career and the stages of his intellectual development. The book was edited by Ludwig Kepler and
268:
Levania does not seem to move but the Earth seems to orbit around it just as the Moon seems to orbit the Earth when seen from the planet (Earth). This is an example of Kepler defending
Copernicus's diurnal rotation. The inhabitants at the divisor see the planets different from the rest of the Moon. Mercury and Venus specifically seem bigger to them.
197:
After the daemon describes other daemons' behavior, she goes on to describe
Levania. Levania is divided into two hemispheres called Privolva and Subvolva, corresponding to the near and far sides of the Moon. Privolva never sees Volva, while Subvolva sees Volva as their moon. Volva goes throughout the
285:
A day and night is around 30 Earth days. A day on
Subvolva represents the phases of the Moon on Earth. Subvolva sees the Earth as its moon. The Earth goes through phases just as the Moon does during their night. Kepler notes that Subvolva is inhabited by serpent-like creatures. The Subvolvan terrain
276:
A day is around 14 Earth days sometimes less. Night on
Privolva is 15 or 16 Earth days. During the nights, Privolva experiences intense cold and strong winds. During the day, Privolva experiences extreme heat with no wind. During the night, water is pumped to Subvolva. During the Privolvan day, some
181:
lies the island of
Levania," which is Earth's Moon. According to the daemon, there is a pathway between the island of Levania and Earth. When the pathway is open, daemons can take humans to the island in four hours. The journey is a shock to humans, so they are sedated for the trip. Extreme cold is
267:
to describe the island of
Levania in many scientific ways. The fixed stars are in the same position as the Earth's fixed stars. The planets appear larger from Levania than from Earth due to the distance Levania is from Earth. Levania also sees planetary motions in a different way. For instance,
201:
The daemon continues the descriptions of
Subvolva and Privolva. Some of these details are scientific in nature, including how eclipses would look from the Moon, the sizes of the planets varying due to the Moon's distance from the Earth, and an idea about the size of the Moon. Other details are
182:
also a concern on the trip, but the daemons use their powers to ward it off. Another concern is the air, so humans have to have damp sponges placed in their nostrils in order to breathe. The trip is made with the daemons pushing the humans toward
Levania with great force. At the
164:
Upon his return to
Iceland, Duracotus finds his mother still alive. She is overjoyed to learn that he is well-studied in astronomy as she too possesses knowledge of astronomy. One day, Fiolxhilde reveals to Duracotus how she learned of the heavens. She tells him about the
286:
is full of fields and towns, just like Earth. At night on
Privolva all of the water is pumped to Subvolva to submerge the land so only a small portion of land remains above the waves. The Subvolvans are protected from the Sun by almost constant cloud cover and rain.
205:
The dream is cut short in the middle of the description of the creatures of Privolva. Kepler wakes up from the dream because of a storm outside. He then realizes that his head is covered and he is wrapped in blankets just like the characters in his story.
250:, would be arrested on charges of being a witch. Kepler fought for five years to free her. After her death, Kepler wrote extensive notes to explain his narrative. The book was published posthumously in 1634 by his son, Ludwig Kepler.
189:
After describing the trip to Levania, the daemon notes that daemons are overpowered by the Sun. They dwell in the shadows of the Earth, called Volva by the inhabitants of Levania. The daemons can rush to Volva during a
169:
she can summon. These daemons can move her anywhere on Earth in an instant. If the place is too far away for them to take her, they describe it in great detail. She then summons her favorite daemon to speak with them.
157:
from Tycho and his students. Duracotus is fascinated with astronomy and enjoys the time they spend looking at the night sky. Duracotus spends several years with Tycho before returning home to
363:
references Fiolxhilde and the daemon she summons from Levania with two of its main characters, a young girl named Fio and a monster named Levania, who meet and form a friendship on the moon.
277:
of the water is pumped back to Privolva to protect its inhabitants from the intense heat. The inhabitants are described as giants that hide under water to escape from the heat of the day.
476:
114:
presents a detailed imaginative description of how the Earth might look when viewed from the Moon, and is considered the first serious scientific treatise on lunar astronomy.
246:. Duracotus spends a considerable amount of time working for Tycho Brahe. Kepler worked under Tycho Brahe in 1600 before becoming Imperial Mathematician. Kepler's mother,
202:
fictional in nature, such as descriptions of the creatures that inhabit Subvolva and Privolva, plant growth on each side, and the life and death cycle of Levania.
98:. It was first published in 1634 by Kepler's son, Ludwig Kepler, several years after the death of his father. In the narrative, an Icelandic boy and his
950:
407:
Kepler's Dream, with the full text and notes of "Somnium, Sive Astronomia Lunaris, Joannis Kepleri," translated by Patricia Frueh Kirkwood
874:
685:
945:
915:
910:
426:
146:. Since Duracotus is made seasick by the trip there, the skipper leaves Duracotus to deliver the letter and stay with Tycho.
925:
713:
186:
between the Earth and the Moon, the daemons have to slow the humans down lest they hurtle with great force into the Moon.
960:
920:
733:
532:
784:
935:
930:
743:
905:
678:
501:
940:
421:. Translated by Edward Rosen. University of Wisconsin Press, reprinted 2003 by Courier Dover Publications.
107:
178:
955:
760:
671:
343:
592:
Christianson, Gale E. (1976). "Kepler's Somnium: Science Fiction and the Renaissance Scientist".
461:
26:
854:
387:
The Somnium Astronomicum of Johann Kepler Translated, with Some Observations on Various Sources
648:
619:
827:
738:
900:
895:
868:
728:
560:
505:
305:
301:
8:
859:
223:
564:
509:
601:
359:
310:
150:
800:
708:
528:
422:
834:
792:
390:
338:
247:
183:
153:
Duracotus Danish so they can talk. Along with learning Danish, Duracotus learns of
776:
723:
694:
416:
405:
319:
123:
95:
58:
40:
847:
768:
324:
451:
889:
840:
231:
191:
718:
389:(MA thesis). Translated by Norman Raymond Farladeau. Creighton University.
296:
119:
143:
139:
578:
395:
657:
605:
525:
The Great Astronomical Revolution: 1534-1687 and the Space Age Epilogue
174:
115:
154:
134:
The story begins with Kepler reading about a skillful magician named
477:"Isaac Asimov Presents the Best Science Fiction of the 19th Century"
375:
135:
663:
557:
Kepler's Somnium: The Dream, or Posthumous Work on Lunar Astronomy
498:
Kepler's Somnium: The Dream, or Posthumous Work on Lunar Astronomy
418:
Kepler's Somnium: The Dream, Or Posthumous Work on Lunar Astronomy
350:
Dutch multi-instrumentalist Jacco Gardner released a 2018 album,
158:
332:
264:
166:
227:
222:
began as a student dissertation in which Kepler defended the
99:
87:
103:
559:. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press. pp. 11–29.
341:
novel (2012) and its same-titled cinematic adaptation
194:, otherwise they remain hidden in shadows on Levania.
242:
There are many similarities to Kepler's real life in
122:
have referred to it as one of the earliest works of
550:
548:
546:
544:
887:
377:Somnium, seu opus posthumum De astronomia lunari
173:The summoned daemon tells them, "Fifty thousand
92:Somnium, seu opus posthumum De astronomia lunari
660:: Latin original, English translation, and blog
653:: Science Fiction and the Renaissance Scientist
541:
414:
384:
373:
679:
327:, one of the characters (Goldman) translates
102:mother learn of an island named Levania (the
591:
410:. Berkeley: University of California Press.
686:
672:
304:is a concept album based on the work, and
403:
394:
94:— is a novel written in Latin in 1608 by
620:"Jacco Gardner - Somnium - Album review"
527:. Horwood Publishing. pp. 129–132.
888:
516:
209:
667:
554:
522:
495:
289:
951:Novels about witches and witchcraft
693:
13:
474:
14:
972:
714:Kepler's laws of planetary motion
641:
450:Carl Sagan (September 28, 2009).
314:draws direct inspiration from it.
785:Epitome Astronomiae Copernicanae
464:from the original on 2021-12-21.
323:, a novel by the Israeli author
234:, after Kepler's death in 1630.
198:same phases as the actual Moon.
25:
129:
90:for "The Dream") — full title:
31:Reproduction of 1634 title page
612:
585:
571:
489:
468:
443:
237:
226:doctrine of the motion of the
214:
1:
946:Novels published posthumously
916:German science fiction novels
502:University of Wisconsin Press
436:
16:1634 novel by Johannes Kepler
911:1630s science fiction novels
579:"No. 2611: Kepler's Somnium"
7:
926:17th-century books in Latin
367:
280:
271:
149:Tycho asks his students to
10:
977:
961:17th-century German novels
258:
253:
819:
752:
701:
64:
54:
46:
36:
24:
921:Works by Johannes Kepler
761:Mysterium Cosmographicum
600:(1). SF-TH Inc.: 76–90.
453:Kepler's Dream Come True
415:Johannes Kepler (1967).
385:Johannes Kepler (1962).
374:Johannes Kepler (1634).
354:, as a nod to the novel.
647:Christianson, Gale E.,
594:Science Fiction Studies
523:Moore, Patrick (1994).
347:(2016) are based on it.
936:Novels set on the Moon
855:Kepler space telescope
555:Rosen, Edward (1967).
496:Rosen, Edward (1967).
931:Novels set in Iceland
828:Die Harmonie der Welt
906:History of astronomy
869:Astronomers Monument
357:The 2021 video game
306:Kim Stanley Robinson
302:Mannheim Steamroller
941:Novels about dreams
744:Keplerian telescope
658:The Somnium Project
565:1967ksdo.book.....R
510:1967ksdo.book.....R
210:Publication history
21:
739:Kepler's Supernova
404:John Lear (1965).
360:Nier Reincarnation
339:Sylvia Brownrigg's
290:In popular culture
19:
883:
882:
875:List of namesakes
801:Rudolphine Tables
729:Kepler's equation
709:Kepler conjecture
702:Scientific career
428:978-0-486-43282-3
142:on the island of
79:
78:
968:
835:Katharina Kepler
793:Harmonices Mundi
734:Kepler polyhedra
688:
681:
674:
665:
664:
635:
634:
632:
630:
616:
610:
609:
589:
583:
582:
575:
569:
568:
552:
539:
538:
520:
514:
513:
493:
487:
486:
484:
483:
472:
466:
465:
460:. anewusername.
447:
432:
411:
400:
398:
381:
248:Katharina Kepler
184:Lagrangian point
75:
73:
29:
22:
18:
976:
975:
971:
970:
969:
967:
966:
965:
956:Novels in Latin
886:
885:
884:
879:
861:Johannes Kepler
815:
788:(1618, 1620-21)
777:Astronomia nova
748:
724:Kepler triangle
697:
695:Johannes Kepler
692:
644:
639:
638:
628:
626:
618:
617:
613:
590:
586:
577:
576:
572:
553:
542:
535:
521:
517:
494:
490:
481:
479:
475:Asimov, Isaac.
473:
469:
449:
448:
444:
439:
429:
370:
320:Past Continuous
311:Galileo's Dream
292:
283:
274:
261:
256:
240:
217:
212:
132:
124:science fiction
96:Johannes Kepler
71:
69:
59:Science fiction
41:Johannes Kepler
32:
17:
12:
11:
5:
974:
964:
963:
958:
953:
948:
943:
938:
933:
928:
923:
918:
913:
908:
903:
898:
881:
880:
878:
877:
872:
865:
857:
852:
844:
838:
832:
823:
821:
817:
816:
814:
813:
805:
797:
789:
781:
773:
769:De Stella Nova
765:
756:
754:
750:
749:
747:
746:
741:
736:
731:
726:
721:
716:
711:
705:
703:
699:
698:
691:
690:
683:
676:
668:
662:
661:
655:
643:
642:External links
640:
637:
636:
624:Loud And Quiet
611:
584:
570:
540:
533:
515:
504:. p. 15.
488:
467:
441:
440:
438:
435:
434:
433:
427:
412:
401:
382:
369:
366:
365:
364:
355:
348:
344:Kepler's Dream
336:
325:Yaakov Shabtai
315:
291:
288:
282:
279:
273:
270:
263:Kepler uses a
260:
257:
255:
252:
239:
236:
216:
213:
211:
208:
131:
128:
77:
76:
66:
62:
61:
56:
52:
51:
48:
44:
43:
38:
34:
33:
30:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
973:
962:
959:
957:
954:
952:
949:
947:
944:
942:
939:
937:
934:
932:
929:
927:
924:
922:
919:
917:
914:
912:
909:
907:
904:
902:
899:
897:
894:
893:
891:
876:
873:
871:
870:
866:
864:
862:
858:
856:
853:
850:
849:
845:
842:
841:Jakob Bartsch
839:
836:
833:
830:
829:
825:
824:
822:
818:
811:
810:
806:
803:
802:
798:
795:
794:
790:
787:
786:
782:
779:
778:
774:
771:
770:
766:
763:
762:
758:
757:
755:
751:
745:
742:
740:
737:
735:
732:
730:
727:
725:
722:
720:
717:
715:
712:
710:
707:
706:
704:
700:
696:
689:
684:
682:
677:
675:
670:
669:
666:
659:
656:
654:
652:
646:
645:
625:
621:
615:
607:
603:
599:
595:
588:
580:
574:
566:
562:
558:
551:
549:
547:
545:
536:
534:1-898563-19-5
530:
526:
519:
511:
507:
503:
499:
492:
478:
471:
463:
459:
455:
454:
446:
442:
430:
424:
420:
419:
413:
409:
408:
402:
397:
392:
388:
383:
379:
378:
372:
371:
362:
361:
356:
353:
349:
346:
345:
340:
337:
334:
330:
326:
322:
321:
316:
313:
312:
307:
303:
299:
298:
294:
293:
287:
278:
269:
266:
251:
249:
245:
235:
233:
232:Jacob Bartsch
229:
225:
221:
207:
203:
199:
195:
193:
192:solar eclipse
187:
185:
180:
176:
171:
168:
162:
160:
156:
152:
147:
145:
141:
137:
127:
125:
121:
117:
113:
109:
105:
101:
97:
93:
89:
85:
84:
67:
63:
60:
57:
53:
49:
45:
42:
39:
35:
28:
23:
867:
860:
846:
843:(son-in-law)
826:
808:
807:
799:
791:
783:
775:
767:
759:
719:Kepler orbit
650:
627:. Retrieved
623:
614:
597:
593:
587:
573:
556:
524:
518:
497:
491:
480:. Retrieved
470:
457:
452:
445:
417:
406:
396:10504/109241
386:
380:. Frankfurt.
376:
358:
351:
342:
328:
318:
309:
297:Fresh Aire V
295:
284:
275:
262:
243:
241:
219:
218:
204:
200:
196:
188:
172:
163:
148:
133:
130:Plot summary
120:Isaac Asimov
111:
91:
82:
81:
80:
901:1634 novels
896:1608 novels
500:. Madison:
238:Publication
215:Development
140:Tycho Brahe
890:Categories
629:8 December
482:2021-11-19
437:References
224:Copernican
177:up in the
116:Carl Sagan
649:Kepler's
308:'s novel
155:astronomy
106:) from a
65:Published
837:(mother)
462:Archived
368:Editions
281:Subvolva
272:Privolva
47:Language
20:Somnium
851:(opera)
831:(opera)
820:Related
809:Somnium
651:Somnium
606:4239001
561:Bibcode
506:Bibcode
458:YouTube
352:Somnium
329:Somnium
259:Levania
254:Science
244:Somnium
220:Somnium
167:daemons
159:Iceland
136:Libussa
112:Somnium
83:Somnium
70: (
848:Kepler
812:(1634)
804:(1627)
796:(1619)
780:(1609)
772:(1606)
764:(1596)
604:
531:
425:
333:Hebrew
265:daemon
179:Aether
108:daemon
37:Author
753:Works
602:JSTOR
331:into
228:Earth
175:miles
151:teach
100:witch
88:Latin
55:Genre
50:Latin
631:2021
529:ISBN
423:ISBN
144:Hven
118:and
104:Moon
72:1634
68:1634
863:ATV
391:hdl
317:In
300:by
892::
622:.
596:.
543:^
456:.
161:.
126:.
110:.
687:e
680:t
673:v
633:.
608:.
598:3
581:.
567:.
563::
537:.
512:.
508::
485:.
431:.
399:.
393::
335:.
86:(
74:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
