Science Fiction History: 1634 Johannes Kepler Writes Technical Sci-fi

About the book Somnium by Johannes Kepler, the astronomer who wrote the first technical sci-fi based on scientific knowledge in 1634.

--1634. Astronomer Johannes Kepler was the 1st to write space travel based on scientific knowledge gained by the newly invented telescope. He assumed the moon to consist of 2 zones, the near one burned by the sun, the far one freezing cold. There were monsters popping in and out of caves, and water, air, and vegetation with a 2-week life-span. Incorrect, but, in the light of contemporary knowledge, not illogical. As Kepler could think of no scientific way to get to the moon, he had his hero dream himself there: The title of the book is Somnium, Latin for "dream."