I think applying the term “literally” to anything in John’s vision in the Revelation is unwise.
i disagree. i have studied revelation about five times under some pretty good teachers. and it’s interesting that the more you look at this (in context) as a vision of literal events in heaven and on earth — taking into account that John was trying to make sense out of what God was showing him — the more sense it makes. sure some of it uses symbolic and figurative language, but we do that now and it doesn’t mean we don’t understand it when used.
i honestly don’t think god would intentionally be obtuse when people’s souls are at stake—prophecy is a warning for those living in the time it will come to pass. i personally think we have to take it in context of the time and situation, and understanding the language.
for example in Joel:
30And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.
31The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the LORD come.
this looks like symbolism, yet if you imagine it visually and what is happening at the same time in the timeline and other related verses, it seems to refer to catastrophic volcanic activity all over the world (blood, fire, pillars of smoke) following the “stars” falling to earth.