Woodcuts, engravings and stars!

Woodcut of a pilgrimage (c.1490)

Walking The Way woodcut (c.1568)

The above wood engraving first appeared in Camille Flammarion's 1888 

book, L'atmosphere: meterologie populaire. The 

image looks as though it could be 

medieval, however it was probably 

Flammarion's own illustration. The engraving depicts a medieval pilgrim out in the open landscape at night, 

experiencing the night sky.  I found a 

lovely quote from Flammarion's book in 

Wiki:

"What intelligent being, what being capable of 

responding emotionally to a beautiful sight, can look at the jagged, silvery lunar crescent trembling in the 

azure sky, even through the weakest of telescopes 

and not be struck by it in an intensely pleasurable way, not feel cut off from everyday life here on earth

and transported toward that first stop on the celestial journeys? What thoughtful soul could look at brilliant Jupiter with its four attendant satellites, or splendid Saturn encircled by its mysterious ring, or a double 

star glowing scarlet and sapphire in the infinity of 

night, and not be filled with a sense of wonder? Yes, 

indeed, if humankind from humble farmers in the

fields and toiling workers in the cities to teachers, 

people of independent means, those who have 

reached the pinnacle of fame or fortune, even the 

most frivolous of society women if they knew what profound inner pleasure await those who gaze at the 

heavens, then France, nay, the whole of Europe, 

would be covered with telescopes instead of 

bayonets, thereby promoting universal happiness and peace." 

Camille Flammarion 1880

 The pilgrim in the image seems to be 

able to see through to a 'celestial 

realm'.  Today there are many 

incredible images of space which are amazingly awesome and captivate our 

imagination.  Below is a photo taken by 

Hubble of planetary nebula NGC 2818

More Wiki information reveals that there is a link between Santiago de Compostela and stars, and in particular the Milky Way.  Another Wiki quote:

The popular Spanish name for the astronomical Milky Way is El Camino de Santiago. According to a common 

medieval legend, the Milky Way was formed from the dust raised by traveling pilgrims.  Compostela itself means "field of stars". Another origin for this popular name is Book IV of the 
Book of Saint James which relates how 
the saint appeared in a dream to Charlemagne urging him to liberate his tomb from the Moors and showing him 

the direction to follow by the route of the Milky Way.