What was the primary composition suggested for the Milky Way by thinkers influenced by classical thought before Galileo's observations?
Answer
Celestial vapor, fire, or unresolved distant stars
Pre-Galilean cosmological models often categorized the diffuse streak as a phenomenon distinct from individual stars, sometimes considering it vapor or fire, or as unresolved stars too distant to see clearly, as suggested by Aristotle.
Related Questions
What was the primary composition suggested for the Milky Way by thinkers influenced by classical thought before Galileo's observations?In which revolutionary publication did Galileo detail his findings about the resolution of the Milky Way in 1610?What was the crucial technological tool that transformed the Milky Way from a philosophical problem into an observable, physical one?What did Galileo observe when he directed his telescope at the hazy band of the Milky Way?What was the immediate cosmological implication of resolving the Milky Way into countless stars?How did Galileo characterize the composition of the Milky Way in his publication?In the context of the naked eye view, roughly how many stars are visible across the entire celestial sphere under ideal dark sky conditions?What specific finding did Galileo provide that laid groundwork for later cosmological interpretations by figures like Kant?What aspect of the Milky Way structure did Galileo *not* confirm with his 1610 observations?How much did Galileo improve his instruments' magnification between the initial invention of the spyglass and his 1609/1610 observations?What was Galileo's work on Jupiter's moons proven to demonstrate, in contrast to his Milky Way discovery?