Plate XVII from Thomas Wright's An Original Theory or New Hypothesis of the Universe (1750), a richly illustrated work (embellished with both fragments of poetry and stunning images) explaining his theories on the universe, including the appearance of the Milky Way as "an optical effect due to our immersion in what locally approximates to a flat layer of stars". In this image A represents the "system of our sun", B "that supposed arond Syrius", and C "the Region about Rigel". (Image source: The Getty via Internet Achive)