What is Really Out There

After viewing the “Heart of the Sun” at the Millholland Planetarium in Hickory, North Carolina, I began reflecting on the enormity of the universe. Perhaps I should say I am speaking only of what we think we know of the universe. My daughter, who is an astrophysicist and teaches astronomy in college says our concepts of the stars are only a map of the human mind - not what is Really Out There. She also points out that when we look at the heavens we react only to that which can be seen by human eyes which is just a tiny fraction of what is Really Out There. Much of her work is done with xray, uv, infrared, and oogly-googly stuff that finds no pegs in my brain to hang onto.

But this much I do get (kind of). The "sun" (our star) is really a quite small star. It is located in an obscure part of a small galaxy we call the "MIlky Way". Galaxies are swarms of millions to trillions of stars and they can be hundreds of thousands of light years from one end to the other and farther than that from each other. The Milky Way is part of a collection of galaxies which is called a local cluster. There are many other local clusters, and together they make up a conglomeration of galaxies called a super cluster.

This is not the only super cluster. There are a lot of super clusters. One source estimates there are 100 super clusters within 1 billion light years of the planet Earth. That would only account for about 7% of the total number of super clusters. For a better explanation see http://www.atlasoftheuniverse.com/superc.html

Reflection leads us to understand then, that In one of these billions of super clusters there is a tiny local cluster of only about 10 to 20 galaxies, and one of those small galaxies is one that is called the "Milky Way", and off in a corner of it is what its residents call a “solar system” and in that is the planet they call Earth.

Now we are also told that Earth was created by Yahweh, or Allah or the Almighty God. He - and He is definitely a HE - ask any priest or Imam or rabbi - is accompanied by the Devil (another He) to keep the people there straight (they evidently have their masculine hands full). Somewhere around there also is heaven with its precious gold and lovely hymns, and hell with its burning brimstone and piercing screams.

Well, science begins with the premise that it does not know and it keeps saying “that’s funny” as it fumbles around with what it finds to play with. Religion begins with the premise that it does know and it can’t be distracted by What is Really Out There. When the two run together they can boggle the human mind. But What is Really Out There both with regard to science AND religion has GOT to be amazing - no matter how oogly-googly it may seem to me right now.

© John Womack, 2009. All rights reserved.

Heart of the Sun

To the Millholland Planetarium tonight to see a story about the sun.
Lots of good shots, good explanations by a member of the Catawba Valley Astronomy Association. Some instruction about sunspots, impressive auroral displays and almost too much gee-whiz information.

Also some outstanding views of the night sky, especially the DARK night sky over Hickory (which is never seen because it is never DARK over Hickory - but if it were, this is what it would look like) and that was amazing.

Then a little intro of a laser show coming up tomorrow afternoon.

All this after a little social with beer or wine and some nice crunchies. And of course, the displays were all available to wander around and view: the Mars Lander, lots of information about Mars in particular, lots more about astronomy, and the nature displays were open as were the light displays. Very enjoyable evening.

Spring is Here! (dammit)

By virtue of the authority invested in me,
as Grand Determiner of Significant Events -
I hereby declare that SPRING is HERE!
Let appropriate celebrations commence!

March Came in Like a Lamb. I'm not Lion.

Well, March sure came in like a lamb today. All white and soft and fleecy and fluffy.

Bueno, que llegó en marzo como un cordero el día de hoy. Todos de color blanco y suave y esponjoso y fleecy.