If you look at the stars, cutting off the rays (as may be done by looking through a very small hole made with the extreme point of a very fine needle, placed so as almost to touch the eye), you will see those stars so minute that it would seem as though nothing could be smaller; it is in fact their great distance which is the reason of their diminution, for many of them are very many times larger than the star which is the earth with water. –“In Praise of the Sun,” Leonardo da Vinci Which text evidence best shows the author’s purpose? “as may be done by looking through a very small hole” “If you look at the stars, cutting off the rays” “it is in fact their great distance which is the reason of their diminution” “it would seem as though nothing could be smaller”

How does size influence the appearance of a star? Give an example in your response.

Is the star Polaris bigger or smaller than our Sun?BiggerSmaller

I only wish I had words to serve me to blame those who are fain to extol the worship of men more than that of the sun; for in the whole universe there is nowhere to be seen a body of greater magnitude and power than the sun. Its light gives light to all the celestial bodies which are distributed throughout the universe; and from it descends all vital force, for the heat that is in living beings comes from the soul [vital spark]; and there is no other [center] of heat and light in the universe. –“In Praise of the Sun,” Leonardo da Vinci What is the biggest weakness of da Vinci’s argument? He incorrectly concludes that other stars do not have their own light. He relies on his own personal feelings and preferences. He suggests that the sun helps sustain life on Earth. He relies too much on others’ points of view.

And there is no other [center] of heat and light in the universe . . . certainly those who have chosen to worship men as gods—as Jove, Saturn, Mars and the like—have [made a mistake], seeing that even if a man were as large as our earth, he would look no bigger than a little star which appears but as a speck in the universe; and seeing again that these men are mortal, and putrid and corrupt in their sepulchres. –“In Praise of the Sun,” Leonardo da Vinci What evidence supports the author’s point of view on humans? “men are mortal, and putrid and corrupt" “those who have chosen to worship men as gods” “even if a man were as large as our earth” “there is no other [center] of heat and light”

Approximately how many times larger than the Earth is the Sun?VolumeSunVolumeEarth =