HEAVEN, among astronomers, called also the ethereal
and fiery heaven, is that immense region wherein the
stars, planets, and comets, are disposed. See ASTRO-
NOMY Index.
This is what Moses calls the firmament, speaking of
it as the work of the second day's creation; at least it
is thus the word יָרָא is usually rendered by his inter-
preters; though somewhat abusively, to countenance
their own notion of the heavens being firm or solid.
The word, it is certain, properly signifies no more
than expanse or extension; a term very well adapted
by the prophet to the impression which the heavens
make on our senses; whence, in other parts of scrip-
ture, the heaven is compared to a curtain, or a tent
stretched out to dwell in. The LXX first added to
this idea of expansion that of firm or solid; render-
ing it by σπίνα, according to the philosophy of those
times; in which they have been followed by the mod-
ern translators.
The latter philosophers, as Des Cartes, Kircher, &c.,
have easily demonstrated this heaven not to be solid, but
fluid; but they still suppose it full, or perfectly dense,
without any vacancy, and cantoned out into many vor-
tices.—But others have overturned not only the soli-
dity, but the supposed plenitude, of the heavens. Sir
Isaac Newton has abundantly shown the heavens void
of almost all resistance, and, consequently, of almost all
matter: this he proves from the phenomena of the
celestial bodies; from the planets persifiling in their
motions without any sensible diminution of their ve-
locity; and the comets freely passing in all directions
towards all parts of the heavens.
Heaven, taken in a general sense, for the whole ex-
panse between our earth and the remotest regions of
the fixed stars, may be divided into two very unequal
parts, according to the matter found therein; viz. the
atmosphere, or aerial heaven, possessed by air; and the
ethereal heaven, possessed by a thin, unresisting me-
dium, called ether.
HEAVEN is more particularly used, in Astronomy, for
an orb, or circular region, of the ethereal heaven.
The ancient astronomers assumed as many different
heavens as they observed different motions therein.
These they supposed all to be solid, as thinking they
could not otherwise sustain the bodies fixed in them; and
spherical, that being the most proper form for motion.
Thus we had seven heavens for the seven planets, viz.
the heavens of the Moon, Mercury, Venus, the Sun,
Hebdoma-dary Hebe. Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. The eighth was for the fixed stars, which they particularly called the firmament. Ptolemy adds a ninth heaven, which he called the primum mobile. After him two crystalline heavens were added by King Alphonfus, &c. to account for some irregularities in the motions of the other heavens: and lastly, an empyrean heaven was drawn over the whole, for the residence of the Deity; which made the number twelve. But others admitted many more heavens, according as their different views and hypotheses required. Eudoxus supposed 23, Calippus 30, Regiomontanus 33, Aristotle 47, and Fracastor no less than 70. It must be added, however, that the astronomers did not much concern themselves whether the heavens they thus allow of were real or not; provided they served a purpose in accounting for any of the celestial motions, and agreed with the phenomena.