Dr. Kristine Larsen
Professor of Physics and Astronomy
Central Connecticut State University
Tolkien and Astronomy?!?!?!?!?!
“Speaking for myself as a child, I can only say that a liking for fairy-stories was not a dominant characteristic of early taste…. I liked many other things as well or better: such as history, astronomy….”-- J.R.R.T, “On Fairy-Stories”
“So deep was the impression made by astronomy on me that I do not think I
could deal with or imaginatively conceive a flat world, though a world of static
earth with a sun going round it seems easy (to fancy if not to reason).”
-- J.R.R.T., Letter to Naomi Mitchison
Tolkien acted as a “Sub-creator”, in that he made a “secondary world which your mind can enter.” The reader believes in the world while inside it because of its self-consistency -- its “reality.” Part of that “creation” involved the astronomy of Middle-earth.
During his early years as a professor at the University of Leeds he utilized
interdisciplinary and unconventional teaching methods, such as Anglo-Saxon
crossword puzzles. It is therefore fitting that we take advantage of the depth
and breadth of Tolkien’s “sub-creation” in the interdisciplinary teaching
of astronomy to non-science majors.
What is “Teaching through Tolkien”?
Using literary references from Tolkien’s work as the springboard for class discussion or the backbone of a lab exercise
Examples of astronomical concepts that can be “Taught through Tolkien”
Examples of Lab exercises:
In the Beginning….
“There was Eru, the One, who in Arda is called Iluvatar; and he made first the Ainur, the Holy Ones, that were the offspring of this thought, and they were with him before aught else was made. And he spoke to them, propounding to them themes of music; and they sang before him, and he was glad….” [The Silmarillion: 3]
Iluvatar turns the song of the Ainur into all of Creation, embodying it with the “Flame Imperishable.” Melkor, the greatest of the Ainur, was dissatisfied with his role and interjected discord into Creation through essentially singing out of tune. Thus began the great cosmic battle between good and evil, and explains the imperfection of Creation.
“The Ainulindale” is Tolkien’s great Creation Myth. It can be used to describe the general structure and function of creation myths in general as a culturally-relevant, primitive basis for cosmology and philosophy.
"The most profound human questions are the ones that give rise to
creation myths: Who are we? Why are we here? What is the purpose of our lives
and our deaths? How should we understand our place in the world.... While all
cultures have specific myths through which they respond to these kinds of
questions, it is in their creation myths that the most basic answers are to be
found."
--Barbara Sproul, Primal Myths (1-2)
What a Creation Myth Does:
•Explains how and why the universe comes into being
•Establishes a model for the creative process
•Describes creation of specific pieces of the cosmos (sun, moon, stars)
•Builds up a "worldview" (ethics and politics of gender
relationships and the relationship with nature)
•Explains the source(s) of evil and death
•Establishes the relationship between god(s) and humans
•Gives information about the "End of Days" and the triumph over
evil
All these aspects can be found in The Silmarillion.
Discussing Constellation as a Cultural Phenomenon:
Varda, or Elbereth, the Queen of the Valar (the Ainur who came to Earth), created the stars in the days before the coming of the Elves (Tolkien’s favored species of fictional intelligent beings)
“Carnil and Luinil, Nénar and Lumbar, Alcarinquë and Elemmíre she wrought in that time, and other of her works of old she gathered together and set as signs in Heaven that the gods may read: Wilwarin, Telumendil, Soronúmë, and Anarríma; and Menelmakar with his shining belt that forebodes the Last Battle that shall be…” [The Silmarillion: 45]
Tolkien and his son (and editor), Christopher, have identified some of these as actual stars and constellations in the real night sky. Some identifications elude scholars to this day.
For example, Wilwarin, “The Butterfly,” is Cassiopeia
The Valacirca (hung in the sky by Varda to warn Melkor of his eventual defeat at the End of Days) is the Big Dipper.
“…when first Menelmacar strode up the sky and the blue fire of Helluin flickered in the mists above the borders of the world, in that hour the Children of the Earth awoke….” [The Silmarillion: 45]
Menelmacar is Orion, while Helluin is Sirius.
Phases of the Moon:
Not only did various cultures around the world invent their own constellations, but they also had superstitions and/or explanations for the origin of the phases of the moon. Middle-earth is no exception. Tilion is said to be the driver of the Moon, while beautiful Arien is the driver of the Sun. Tilion was “moonstruck” by Arien (pun intended) and because of his love for her did not follow the driving instructions he was given by the Valar:
“But Tilion was wayward and uncertain in speed, and held not to his appointed path; and he sought to come near to Arien, being drawn by her splendour, though the flame of Anar scorched him, and the island of the Moon was darkened.” [The Silmarillion: 112]
Here we have an explanation for the phases of the moon in general, as well as the fact that the moon appears closer to and farther away from the sun at different times during its cycle.
The same myth explains solar eclipses (there does not seem to be any corresponding myth for lunar eclipses.)
“But Tilion went with uncertain pace… so that often both may be seen
above the Earth together, or at times it will chance that he comes so nigh
that his shadow cuts off her brightness and there is a darkness amid the
day."
[The Silmarillion: 113]
Lunar Origin Theories:
An alternate origin theory for the moon appears in one of Tolkien’s more obscure writings:
“And this tale also I have heard… that in the midst of the war, and before yet there was any thing that grew or walked on earth…. Melkor was shaken by the laughter of Tulkas and fled from the earth. Then he gathered himself together and summoned all his might and his hatred, and he said ‘I will rend the Earth asunder, and break it, and none shall possess it.’
But this Melkor could not do, for the earth may not be wholly destroyed against its fate; nevertheless Melkor took a portion of it, and seized it for his own, and reft it away; and he made a little earth of this own, and it wheeled round about it in the sky, following the greater earth wheresoever it went, so that Melkor could observe thence all that happened below, and could send forth his malice and trouble the seas and shake the lands…. [But] the Valar assaulted the stronghold of Melkor, and cast him out, and removed it further from the earth, and it remains in the sky, Ithil whom Men call the Moon. There is both blinding heat and cold intolerable, as might be looked for in any work of Melkor, but now at least it is clean, yet utterly barren; and nought liveth there, nor ever hath, not shall.” [Ainulindale C*, Morgoth’s Ring: 41]
This was clearly motivated by G.H Darwin’s 1878 fission theory of lunar origin (based on the fact that the moon is receding from earth)
Note that the surface conditions on the moon are accurately represented as
well!
Lunar Calendars and Timekeeping:
The phases of the moon have historically provided a natural means of keeping time. Today the Muslim, Jewish, and Tibetan calendars retain their lunar basis.
Tolkien carefully times the travels of his characters to the phases of the moon, as the following excerpt from his notebooks clearly shows:
"Nov. 24 Leave Rivendell
Dec. 6 Hollin (Full Moon)
9 Snows on Caradras
11 Reach Moria
13 Escape to Lothlórien (Moon’s last quarter)
14 Go to Caras Galadon
15 Night at Caras Galadon
16 Mirror of Galadriel
17-21 Stay at Caras Galadon (Dec. 21 New Moon)
Dec. 22-31 Remain at Caras Galadon, leave with the New Year (Dec. 28
Moon’s first quarter)."
[The Treason of Isengard:367]
The following excerpts from letters to his son, Christopher, demonstrate how seriously Tolkien took his lunar chronology:
“…struggled with recalcitrant passage in ‘The Ring.’ At this point I require to know how much later the moon gets up each night when nearing full, and how to stew a rabbit.” [Apr. 24, 1944]
“I began trying to write again… on Tuesday, but I struck a most awkward error (one or two days) in the synchronization, v. important at this stage, of movements of Frodo and the others, which has cost labour and thought and will require tiresome small alterations in many chapters….”[Oct. 12, 1944]
“I have been struggling with the dislocated chronology of the Ring, which has proved most vexatious, and has not only interfered with other more urgent and duller duties, but has stopped me getting on. I think I may have solved it all at last by small map alterations, and by inserting an extra day’s Entmoot, and extra days into Trotter’s [Strider’s] chase and Frodo’s journey….”[Oct. 16, 1944]
According to Christopher Tolkien’s research, the problem was trying to
synchronize Frodo’s and Pippin’s observations of the full moon from
different locations. “Whole of Frodo and Sam’s adventures must be set back
one day, so that Frodo sees moon-set on morning (early hours) of February 6,
and Faramir reaches Minas Tirith on the night of the 7th (this can be done by
making Frodo and Sam only wander four days in Emyn Muil.” [JRRT, The War of
the Ring: 271]
The Evening Star:
Not only are the apparitions of the sun, moon, and stars discussed in Tolkien’s work, but the Evening Star, Venus, also plays a prominent role. Its brilliant appearance, always near one horizon or another, is described as Earendil the Half-Elven, father of Elrond, sailing in his Valar-created ship with one of the Silmarils (the three jewels of Feanor), starting off on or returning from his daily journey through the Doors of Night:
"A ship then new they built for him of mithril and of elven-glass with shining prow; no shaven oar nor sail she bore on silver mast; the Silmaril as lantern light and banner bright with living flame to gleam thereon by Elbereth herself was set, who thither came and wings immortal made for him and laid upon him undying doom, to sail the shoreless skies and come behind the Sun and light of Moon.“[Bilbo’s poem, FOTR:310]
The “Light of Earendil” which is contained in the Phial of Galadriel is nothing more than the reflected light of Venus, caught by her scrying bowl.
Lab Exercise: “The Stars of Middle-earth”
Objective 1:Students become familiar with the use of a starfinder (planisphere) and use it to discover the identity of certain stars and constellations named by Tolkien.
In the chapter “Three is Company”, FOTR (80) it describes that
"Away high in the East swung Remmirath, the Netted Stars, and slowly above the mists red Borgil rose, glowing like a jewel of fire. Then by some shifts of airs all the mist was drawn away like a veil, and there leaned up, as he climbed over the rim of the world, the Swordsman of the Sky, Menelvagor with his shining belt."
Students set their starfinder for 1 AM, Sept. 25 [date and time derived from Tolkien’s notebooks] and identify Menelvagor, Remmirath, and Borgil.
The obvious… Menelvagor is Orion
Less obvious is Remmirath as the Pleiades
Who is Borgil?
Objective 2: Students learn about the connection between star color and temperature (spectral classes – OBAFGKML).
Using a list of the brightest stars and their spectral classes, students narrow down the contenders to Aldebaran (in Taurus) and Betelgeuse (in Orion)
Note that there is disagreement among Tolkien scholars as to which of these stars is Borgil. [Mars has also been proposed but is largely discounted, as it is elsewhere identified as Carnil]. This author has a paper in preparation in which it is posited that based on literary and astronomical information the correct choice is clearly Aldebaran.
Objective 3: Students will learn about circumpolar constellations and create their own constellation out of known stars in order to solve the mystery of “Durin’s Crown.”
This group of stars was depicted on the gates of Moria, and it was said to
be visible even during the day reflected in the Mirrormere of Kheled-zâram in
Moria. This would make the constellation circumpolar. In the book version of
FOTR, Gimli, Frodo, and Sam pause to look upon its image before leaving Moria
after Gandalf’s death. Two of Tolkien’s own sketches give different
renditions of this group of seven stars:
[The original version]
[The final version]
Students first use a “blank” circumpolar map to try and find a candidate for Durin’s Crown. Afterwards they compare their identification to the real constellations by using their starfinders. Note that this is an open-ended activity, as there is no clear canonical identification. Many authors believe it is the Big Dipper, while others suggest Corona Borealis.
This author suggests Cepheus might be the best answer.
Lab Exercise: The Line of the Evening Star
As this lab was developed for an interdisciplinary science course, the first part of the lab deals with genetics and family trees, specifically studying the lineage of Elrond Half-Elven, son of Earendil [Venus].
Students can then comment on the accuracy of the following quotation:
“Elves and Men are evidently in biological terms one race [species], or
they could not breed and produce fertile offspring….”
[Letter to Peter Hastings, Sept. 1954]
[Astronomical] Objective 1: To study the apparitions of Venus over the course of a year and determine the maximum apparent elongation in degrees.
Students plot the orbital positions of Venus and Earth on polar graph paper. From this data, students translate the positions into horizon views and state whether Venus would be a Morning Star or Evening Star. The maximum elongation angle is estimated
Objective 2: To analyze a literary description of Venus for astronomical accuracy.
Students are asked to comment on the astronomical accuracy of the following
excerpt: “But so bright was Rothinzil [Venus] that even at morning Men could
see it glimmering in the West, and in the cloudless night it shone alone, for
no other star could stand beside it.” [“The Downfall of Numenor,” The
Silmarillion: 311]
Lab Exercise (or Discussion): What Day is it, Mr. Frodo?
Objective 1: To understand the cycle of the phases of the moon and what time of day or night they are visible.
Students construct a moon phase locator and determine the time lapse between individual phases.
Objective 2: to analyze the lunar chronology in a literary work.
Students will use the moon phase locator to visualize several passages from “The Fellowship of the Ring,” then use their understanding of phases to answer Sam’s concerns about the amount of time which had apparently elapsed on their journey.
A) Fellowship’s arrival in Lothlorien:
“Frodo lay for some time awake, and looked up at the stars glinting through the pale roof of quivering leaves. Sam was snoring at his side long before he himself closed his eyes…. Late in the night he awoke. The other hobbits were asleep. The Elves were gone. The sickle Moon was gleaming dimly among the leaves.” “Lothlorien,” FOTR (335) [note that Tolkien calls a quarter phase a “sickle”]
B) Fellowship’s travel down the River Anduin:
“The weather was still grey and overcast, with wind from the East, but as evening drew into night the sky away westward cleared, and pools of faint light, yellow and pale green, opened under the grey shores of cloud. There the white rind of the new Moon could be seen glimmering in the remote lakes. Sam looked at it and puckered his brows.” “The Great River,” FOTR (375)
C) The next night:
“The eighth night of their journey came. It was silent and windless; the grey east wind had passed away. The thin crescent of the Moon had fallen early into the pale sunset, but the sky was clear above, and though far away in the South there were great ranges of cloud that still shone faintly, in the West stars glinted bright.” “The Great River,” FOTR (376)
D) Later that night – Sam is confused:
“Sam sat tapping the hilt of his sword as if he were counting on this fingers, and looking up at the sky. ‘It’s very strange,’ he murmured. ‘The Moon’s the same in the Shire and in the Wilderland, or it ought to be. But either it’s out of its running, or I’m all wrong with my reckoning. You’ll remember, Mr. Frodo, the Moon was waning as we lay on the flet up in that tree: a week from full, I reckon. And we’d been a week on the way last night, when up pops a New Moon as thin as a nail-paring, as if we had never stayed no time in the Elvish country.” “The Great River,” FOTR (379)
E) The solution was offered by Aragorn:
“But so it is, Sam: in that land you lost your count. There time flowed
swiftly by us, as for the Elves. The old moon passed, and a new moon waxed and
waned in the world outside, while we tarried there. And yestereve a new moon
came again.” “The Great River,” FOTR (379)
In conclusion, astronomical lore and knowledge played a significant role in the shaping of Middle-earth, both figuratively and literally. As Tolkien himself said,
"You have at any rate paid me the compliment of taking me seriously;
tho I cannot avoid wondering whether it is not ‘too seriously,’ or in the
wrong directions. The tale is after all in the ultimate analysis a tale, a
piece of literature, intended to have literary effect…. That the device
adopted, that of giving its setting an historical air or feeling… is
successful, seems shown by the fact that several correspondents have treated
it in the same way…. i.e. as if it were a report of ‘real’ times and
places." [Sep 1954 letter to Peter Hastings]
