The Power of the Stars

Many religious movements of late antiquity believe that they could literally ascend through the planets and stars, usually as a soul but sometimes in bodily form too. Aristotelian cosmology took hold as the default map of the universe, it was very easy to find God. But however the ancients populated the heavens, the heavens weren't silent and empty like they are today. And today there really are people there, so the question is what changed? Why were the ancient heavens full of life and personalities, while the modern heavens are basically a void,. except for a few rather uncomfortable astronauts floating around conducting experiments?"