The Man in the Moone is a book by the English Church of England bishop Francis Godwin (1562–1633). Initially considered to be one of his early works, it is now thought to date from the late 1620s. It was first published posthumously in 1638 under the pseudonym of Domingo Gonsales. The work made a contribution to the branch of astronomy influenced by Nicolaus Copernicus, the only astronomer mentioned by name. Gonsales is a Spaniard forced to flee the country after killing a man in a duel. Having made his fortune in the East Indies he decides to return to Spain, but falls ill on the voyage home and is set off on St Helena to recover. He resumes his journey, but his ship is attacked by a British fleet off the coast of Tenerife. He uses a flying machine he has devised to escape, but once safely landed he is approached by hostile natives and is forced to take off again. This time the birds powering his machine fly higher and higher, ultimately reaching the Moon. There Gonsales encounters the Lunars, a tall Christian people inhabiting what appears to be a utopian paradise. Some critics consider The Man in the Moone to be one of the first works of science fiction.

Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Man_in_the_Moone

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1770:

Lexell's Comet passed closer to the Earth than any other comet in recorded history, approaching to a distance of 0.015 AU. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lexell%27s_Comet

1867:

The British North America Act came into effect, uniting the Province of Canada, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia into the Canadian Confederation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_Confederation

1932:

Australia's national broadcaster, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, was formed. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_Broadcasting_Corporation

1963:

The British government revealed that former MI6 agent Kim Philby had engaged in espionage for the Soviet Union. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kim_Philby

2006:

The Qinghai–Tibet Railway, the world's highest railway and the only railway line to the Tibet Autonomous Region, was inaugurated. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qinghai%E2%80%93Tibet_Railway

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

jorum: 1. (countable) A large vessel for drinking (usually alcoholic beverages). 2. (countable, figuratively) A large quantity. 3. (countable, uncountable) The contents, or quantity of the contents, of such a vessel. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/jorum

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

In the stormy days of our youth, we imagine that solitude is a sure refuge from the assaults of life, a certain balm for the wounds of battle. This is a serious mistake, and experience teaches us that, if we cannot live in peace with our fellow-men, neither romantic raptures nor aesthetic enjoyment will ever fill the abyss gaping at the bottom of our hearts.   --George Sand https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/George_Sand