Kepler wrote one of the first works of science fiction — about a journey to the Moon.
He finished Somnium around 1608; it was published after his death, in 1634.
More amazing facts
- 1605 · 1616 Cervantes and Shakespeare died in April 1616 on nearly the same calendar date — but Spain used the Gregorian calendar and England did not, so over a week really separates them.
- 1605 The Mughal emperor Jahangir hung a "chain of justice" with 60 bells outside his palace.
- 1605 · 1606 Europeans first landed in Australia after Don Quixote was published.
- 1606 · 1770 The Dutch landed in Australia 164 years before Cook.
- 1608 · 1611 The traveller Thomas Coryat brought the fork to England after seeing it in Italy in 1608.
- 1610 In 1610 Galileo discovered Jupiter's moons — while in Moscow the Seven Boyars ruled and a Polish garrison entered the city.