Astronomy and astronomers in Jules Verne's novels

TL;DR

This paper analyzes how Jules Verne depicted astronomy in his novels, highlighting both the inaccuracies and the enthusiasm that reflect 19th-century public understanding of astronomy.

Contribution

It provides a detailed examination of Verne's portrayal of astronomy through his texts and illustrations, revealing insights into 19th-century perceptions of science.

Findings

Verne's astronomy knowledge was based on popular sources and discussions.

His novels contain both scientific errors and genuine enthusiasm.

The work offers historical insight into 19th-century scientific literacy.

Abstract

Almost all the "Voyages Extraordinaires" written by Jules Verne refer to astronomy. In some of them, astronomy is even the leading theme. However, Jules Verne was basically not learned in science. His knowledge of astronomy came from contemporaneous popular publications and discussions with specialists among his friends or his family. In this article, I examine, from the text and illustrations of his novels, how astronomy was perceived and conveyed by Jules Verne, with errors and limitations on the one hand, with great respect and enthusiasm on the other hand. This informs us on how astronomy was understood by an "honn\^ete homme" in the late 19th century.