comfortably insane: galactasma and other cosmic drek : why



WHAT THE HELL IS ALL THIS AND WHY IS IT ALL SO SEEMINGLY UNRELATED? Think of it as an abstract painting. If you stand too close to it, it may seem like a bunch of garbage, but if you stand a distance from it, somehow all the separate pieces come together to create a tapestry of different concepts, experiences, emotions, and more. Therefore, to answer the above question most simply, it is me. Step back and look at the galactic tapestry of my interests. After that, its up to you to figure out what it all means. Let me begin by saying that I'm not a diletante, but rather an interested non-expert(1). I've been accumulating a cosmic interest all my life, which literally did begin during the "space age." When I was a toddler, the space program was new, and in full throttle. By the time I started kindergarten, Neil Armstrong had walked on the moon. I remember my first day of 1st grade, proudly telling everyone that I wanted to be an astronaut when I grew up. In keeping with current events, my third grade teacher was having us memorize astronaut names, mission names and dates, days in orbit, and other significant mission information. I was so into the space program that when I Dream of Jeannie was airing, it wasn't Jeannie who I wanted to be like, it was astronaut Major Nelson. I started watching Star Trek in the 4th grade, and my sister and I joined StarBase Tulsa, a local Star Trek fan club. I glued together a model Enterprise, which my mother smashed one evening when she saw me playing with it instead of practicing my violin. I still haven't forgiven her for that. As I got older, I strayed farther away from my cosmic fantasies and concentrated on music, which was a choice decided for me at the time. Off and on, I dreamed of being a meteorologist; mostly in the study of tornados. This was due in large part to my citizenship as an Oklahoman, where tornados are as common as corn. In my heart, however, I knew that deep space was where I'd rather play. Aside from watching outer space related movies and glimpsing occasionally through a telescope, the closest I ever came to planetary nirvana was performing The Planets while I was in the Philharmonic. I've felt regretful that I was no more than an observer, and not an actual scientist. I am, in fact, a violinist. It wasn't until 1997 that my interest in space was refueled again with such vigor as when I was young. I remember the day well. It was landing day for the Mars Pathfinder. The cameras directed to the project scientists showed their nail-biting anticipation of the completion of their objective: to land the vehicle within a specific range of a certain spot that was ideal for studying rocks. When their dreams came true, the scientists were overcome with joy, and so was I. The airbags deflated and the rover, Sojourner, got started on its rock surveys. I particularly remembered one scientist who was interviewed a few times. Matt Golombek. I mostly remembered his face. I don't think I've ever seen such joy and pride from someone. He -knew- that what he accomplished was a milestone for science and for humanity. A few years later, I revisted the Pathfinder website and found his bio. I felt inspired to do something significant with my life. At the same time, I was doing some lighthearted investigation on astronaut program requirements. I knew that I'd never be a pilot, but the idea of "mission specialist" appealed to me. I thought, "if I could just master some sort of planetary science, I could go up in the space shuttle." That led my mind back to Golombek. I thought Planetary Geology sounded like something I could do, and much less math required than with say, astronomy. I researched schools and talked to advisors, ultimately to conclude that any decision I made would require tremendous back tracking and time — a goal I probably wouldn't achieve until nearing retirement. So I gave up. Since then, I've come to terms with my limitations and have fully embraced what I've always loved. I've been reading more on cosmology and have been sucked in to the vacuum of that universe as well. I'm not sure where all this will take me, but who knows — perhaps I'll become filthy rich one day and then I can go on the shuttle after all! As long as I am a research junkie, and as long as I'm still breathing, I'll be right there in spirit, excited about new images, new technologies, and new discoveries in space. IMAGES This is a collection of websites containing images, which I've bookmarked over time and refer to frequently. The images transport me to distant places. I never cease to be amazed at the wonderment and the utter beauty out there. There is horrific activity and yet there's also such sensual grace and god-like purity. The first image which changed me was the image of the Earth taken from the moon during the Apollo 11 mission. Although I was only 5 years old, I remember the importance it was given by everyone around me. The next time that I was changed by images was in 1995, when I first saw the Hubble transmissions of star nurseries in the Eagle Nebula. It was hard to imagine such a thing. Soon after, images of multiple galaxies in the deepest reaches of the universe were released. Again, forcing the imagination to another unexpected level. Next, I became enchanted with the Chandra X-Ray Observatory pictures, which are 50 times higher resolution than any pictures previous to 1999. Chandra is an observatory which orbits the Earth in a way which takes it far above the atmosphere. The x-ray telescope allows us to view very hot matter such as galaxies and black holes, and Chandra's mirrors are so smooth that they can see billions of light years away with stunning resolution. Center of our galaxy. I've also discovered that the SOHO(Solor and Heliospheric Observatory)'s x-ray images of the sun are both appealing and appauling. Daily space weather images are a shocking eye candy for us to enjoy. Sometimes you you might see a coronal hole or be lucky enough to catch a coronal mass ejection spewing an arc of gas millions of miles above the sun's atmosphere. The images are breathtaking. INTERESTS Mars - It is, for me, a symbolic orb which fuels contemplation; not an object for future colonization. It represents the past, the future, the evolution and challenges of technology, and the perseverance of scientists, their humor and their joy. Expectations based on the best data have been eclipsed by new data and unplanned images that we now marvel. The more we know about it, it seems more related to us than our moon. A forgotten stepsister. There's almost a sadness for knowing that the planet may have had a biological past and that until recently, there was more science fiction than science regarding the Red Planet. Unimagined empathy and beauty. Cosmology - I'm fascinated with the origin, structure, and space-time relationships within our universe. Especially, the inflation, acceleration, and expansion of our own "pocket" universe, and the philosophical implications of multiple universes, as suggested by eternal inflation and fractal patterns. It may sound complicated, but its really beautiful. When I read about it, I feel as if my brain is hurting and I have to put my book down just to let the cosmic sediment settle down in the bottom of my skull. I find the challenge addictive, like some sort of masochistic exercise in abstract thinking. God I love it! -------------------------------- (1)Allan Sandage Back to Galactasma and Other Cosmic Drek