An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics

The sky or Universe as seen from the Earth; the firmament. Often used in the plural.

Etymology (EN): From M.E. heven, O.E. heofon, possibly from P.Gmc. *khemina- (cf. M.L.G. heben, O.N. himinn, Goth. himins, Du. hemel, Ger. Himmel “heaven, sky”); PIE base *kem-/*kam- “to cover.”

Etymology (PE): Âsmân, from Mid.Pers. âsmân “sky, heaven;” O.Pers. asman- “heaven;” Av. asman- “stone, sling-stone; heaven;” cf. Skt. áśman- “stone, rock, thunderbolt;” Gk. akmon “heaven, meteor, anvil;” Akmon was the father of Ouranos (Uranus), god of sky; Lith. akmuo “stone;” Rus. kamen; PIE base *akmon- “stone, sky.”
The link between the “stone” and “sky” concepts indicates that the sky had once been conceived as a stone vault by prehistoric Indo-Europeans.