Author: Jay Ryan
Located in: Cleveland, Ohio
Submitted: July 19, 2007
Tell us a little about yourself. I'm a Christian home school dad in Cleveland,
Ohio, the father of five children (three sons and
two daughters). My wife Debbie and I have been
married nearly 20 years.
What was your motivation behind this project? In studying astronomy over the years,
particularly the early American almanacs, it
became clear that for centuries astronomy had
been done to the glory of God. Words of praise
to the LORD filled these almanacs. The world
has forgotten classical astronomy, choosing
instead to dwell on evolutionary theories and
exotic, theoretical bodies that no one can see.
It is hoped that the traditional study of the
Sun, Moon, and stars can be reclaimed for Jesus
by a young generation of students here in the
21st century.
What do you hope folks will gain from this project? It is my hope that students of all ages will
rediscover the wonderful order the LORD has
established in the sky and truly appreciate
how "the heavens declare the glory of God."
(Psalm 19:1)
Who are your influences, sources of inspiration or favorite authors / artists? The inspiration for this project came from
reading the great works of astronomy -- works of
science and also literature. Many books were
read from classical, medieval, and early modern
times, authors including Cicero, Chaucer, Galileo
and many more.
I also came to love the astronomical almanacs of
colonial America, an early source of science and
literature among the Founding Fathers. Through
this study, it became increasingly clear that
classical astronomy had been studied throughout
history but became neglected during the 19th
century -- a state of affairs that continues
today.
Anything else you'd like readers / listeners to know: We offer the Classical Astronomy Update, a free
newsletter of astronomy for Christian
home schoolers (though everyone is welcome). You
can sign up at www.ClassicalAstronomy.com. Feel
free to drop an email anytime.
