Abstract
Early observers and theorists of the aurora classed it along with other atmospheric phenomena as a “meteor.” In common with many of his other ideas that remained unchallenged until well into the sixteenth century, Aristotle’s fourth century BC view of these events being the result of ignition of rising vapors belowthe innermost celestial sphere prevailed for some time. An alternative, proposed by the Roman philosopher Seneca in his Questiones Naturales, was that aurorae were flames viewed through chasmata—cracks in the heavenly firmament.
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© 2007 Springer
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Bone, N. (2007). Early observers and theorists of the aurora classed it along with other atmospheric phenomena as a “meteor.” In common with many of his other ideas that remained unchallenged until well into the sixteenth century, Aristotle’s fourth century BC view of these events being the result of ignition of rising vapors belowthe innermost celestial sphere prevailed for some time. An alternative, proposed by the Roman philosopher Seneca in his Questiones Naturales, was that aurorae were flames viewed through chasmata—cracks in the heavenly firmament.. In: Aurora. PatrickMoore’s Practical Astronomy Series. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-68469-7_7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-68469-7_7
Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY
Print ISBN: 978-0-387-36052-2
Online ISBN: 978-0-387-68469-7
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