Home

Site Map

Search

physics,astronomy,education,software,applet,java,shareware,sun,moon,earth,java,applet
GeoAstro
Applets

Astronomy
physics,astronomy,education,software,applet,java,shareware,sun,moon,earth,java,applet
Chaos Game
physics,astronomy,education,software,applet,java,shareware,sun,moon,earth,java,applet
Java
physics,astronomy,education,software,applet,java,shareware,sun,moon,earth,java,applet
Miscel-

laneous

Levania Applet

Kepler somnium
                  Levania

Image source:
http://www.um.zagan.pl/kepler/kwz.htm

Johannes Kepler's (1571-1630) work "Somnium, sive Astronomia Lunaris" (A Dream, or Lunar Astronomy) is a fantastic tale of a journey to the Moon, which is called Levania by its inhabitants. The short work was published posthumously in 1634 by Kepler's son Ludovico.

Embedded in the narrative frames Kepler describes in details how astronomical observations might appear if they were conducted on the Moon.

The Moon is in synchronous rotation, keeping nearly the same face turned toward Earth at all times. One hemisphere of Levania (Moon) is always facing the Earth and one facing away, separated by the Divisor. Its inhabitants call the former hemisphere Subvolva (UnderEarth), and the latter Privolva (deprived-of-Earth). Our marvellous blue planet will never be seen from Privolva (Volva=Earth).

Somnium applet:
View of the Earth from the Moon
volva levania subvolva privolva

My Java applet is simulating the motions of the Earth and the Sun around the Moon (selenocentric motions), and for comparison, the geocentric motion of the Moon.

keys 

You may use the keys d, m or h to increase the date, month, or hour,
or
Shift key and d, m or h
to decrease the date, month, or hour !
Click the applet first !

geocentric
                  selenocentric
Use the keys s and g to switch between selenocentric and geocentric view.

Choose various view options from the menu.
distance
                  longitude latitude
Geocentric ecliptical position of the Moon:
distance R, ecliptic longitude L, and latitude B.
earth
                  heliocentric longitude GHA
Heliocentric ecliptical position of the Earth, and
Greenwich hour Angle GHA of the Sun.
moon libration
                  longitude
libration moon
The (optical) libration of the Moon in longitude.

The angle is magnified by 2 in the applet.

Some observations in Levania:

sunrise
                  subvolva
sunset subvolva
Earliest sunrise in Subvolva
Latest sunset in Privolva
2007 Jan 25 at 23 UT
JD 2454126.46
Latest sunset in Subvolva
Earliest sunset in Privolva
2007 Feb 10 at 10 UT
JD 2454141.92,15.46 days later
subvolvian day, privolvian night
The next sunrise is on Feb 24 at 8 UT (JD 2454155.83), 29.4 days after the first. The mean synodic orbital period is 29.53 days.
Full Earth
2007 Jan 19 at 4 UT:
Full Earth in Subvolva
New Moon on Earth

eclipse

Solar eclipse in Subvolva on 2007 Mar 03, 23 UT
total lunar eclipse on Earth
Eclipses of the Sun and Moon (USNO)
eclipse

Annular eclipse of the Earth on 2007 Mar 19 at 3 UT
partial solar eclipse on Earth
Eclipses of the Sun and Moon (USNO)

Somnium applet:
View of the Earth from the Moon


More applets

Moon Motion (geocentric)

Moon Data

Moon Phase

Moon Phases for a Year

Sun & Moon Polar Applet

Azimuth of the Sun and the Moon at rise or set

Longitude of the Moon

Moon Light

Heliocentric and geocentric motion of the bright planets

More details:

Blue Moon

Full Moon distance

Lunar Perigee and Apogee Calculator


Cosmic voyages: authors and texts

Applet: Solar System Simulator (
Keith McClary)
watch the selenocentric motion of the Sun, the Earth, Venus, and Mars...

Web Link


Kepler's Somnium: Science Fiction and the Renaissance Scientist

Cosmic Voyages
Dictionary of the History of Ideas, Univ. of Virginia

Johannes Kepler: Somnium, seu Opus posthumum de astronomia lunari
(gallica, b
ibliothèque numérique de La Bibliothèque nationale de France)

Die Bewegung des Mondes (PDF, U. Backhaus)

Der Mond, das unbekannte Objekt (U. Backhaus)
Dokumente, Powerpoint-Präsentationen, Programme für Windows

Lukian von Samosata: Die Wahre Geschichte (Projekt Gutenberg)
darin: 
eine Reise zum Mond

Lucian of Samosata:  
The True History, Book I

G. A. Bürger: Freiherr von Münchhausen:
Zehntes Seeabenteuer. Eine zweite Reise nach dem Monde.

R. E. Raspe: The Surprising Adventures of Baron Munchausen
Chapter XVIII: A second trip to the Moon

Books
Günther, Ludwig: Keplers Traum vom Mond, B.G. Teubner, Leipzig 1898.

Johannes Kepler: Der Traum, oder: Mond-Astronomie. Somnium sive astronomia lunaris, aus dem Lateinischen von Hans Baumgarten, herausgegeben und mit einem Leitfaden für Mondreisende von Beatrix Langner. Matthes & Seitz, Berlin 2011.

Edward Rosen: Kepler's Somnium: The Dream, or Posthumous Work on Lunar Astronomy, Dover Publications 2003.

Jaritz, Kurt: Utopischer Mond. Mondreisen aus drei Jahrtausenden.
Stiasny, Graz 1965.

Brunner, W.: Von Stern zu Stern. Eine Weltschau von verschiedenen Himmelskörpern aus, Rascher & Cie., Zürich 1923.

Kepler's Somnium: The Dream, or Posthumous Work on Lunar Astronomy.
Dover Publications 2003


© 2007-2023 J. Giesen

Last update: 2023 Oct 05