Time travelers and aliens and the Eclipse.
I'm reading "Transitions," by Iain Banks, one of my favorite writers. He makes the case that the best time to seek out time travelers or aliens is during an eclipse.
The exact fit of the moon into the sun, he asserts, is a mystery and a wonder and probably unique in the universe.
I mean, what are the odds? They'll be coming from everywhere and everywhen just to catch a glimpse. And lots of them will be awkward, you know. Tourists, after all. Catch them out while you can.
I don't know about the science of that, but it's a funny idea.
So not only will I be wearing approved Eclipse glasses, I probably need to put on some 3D glasses over them just in case any aliens are around. Maybe a little tin foil to catch their reflections out of the corner of my eyes.
That will work, won't it?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
If I wanted to meet aliens and time travelers, I'd just go to Milliway's.
Its interesting -- the topic of moons came up in the Foundation series -- that's how Pel and Travize searched for the planet of origin. I don't think they ever mentioned eclipses. However -- moons were thought to be very rare until 2 weeks ago when someone actually found an exomoon. I wonder what an eclipse (it it a solar eclipse if the star is not Sol?) might look like from the exomoon's planet.
Our Luna is indeed a rare and mystical thing. Selene, in Greek mythology, you probably know she was derived from Theia (also a Greek entity), during the theorized impact with proto-Earth.
Tidally locked and receding, its perfect fit with the sun's diameter is only for us. A billions years ago it was much closer; and in another billion years will be further away.
Its perfect placement, size, orbit and singularity are one of the reasons humanity exists.
Am I loony for Luna? Yup.
Post a Comment