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Galaxy: Higher Order Structuring Date Published: 11/14/2002 by Michael Erlewine

 

 

The picture on the attached photo [*****] represents a panoramic view of how the sky would appear if our eyes were sensitive to radio waves rather than to light waves. Such a sight would go a long way towards persuading astrologers of the existence of preferential directions in space. There would be no mistaking the direction of the Heart and Center of our Galaxy. It literally abounds with light. In fact, the whole equatorial plane of the Galaxy, the Great Milky Way, is a great shining arch stretching across the sky at radio frequencies. Why we cannot see at visual frequencies the great light from the Galactic Center is very simple. At the visual wavelengths, great clouds of relatively near dust intervene to block our view of the Center of the Galaxy and much of the Galactic Plane. These dark clouds, in general, prevent us from seeing more than a few kiloparsecs in any direction along the galactic plane. If we could see our Galaxy from the vantage point of a neighboring galaxy, such as that as Andromeda, the center would be indeed ablaze with light.

Radio waves can easily penetrate through the dust clouds, and therefore it has only in recent years been possible for us to really "see" the actual structure of our galaxy, although we had been fairly sure of the general direction of the Galactic Center. The points of light in the above picture are discrete radio sources (sometimes called "radio stars"), although none that are shown on this map correspond to any optical star.

The greatest benefit from study of maps such as this one and the ones on the following attachments is the emergence of the basic shape and form of the surrounding space. Our dependence upon the eye and the optical frequencies has tended to produce an idea of the heavens as filled with a great number of points of light stars, but otherwise essentially empty of form. What is lost is a feeling for the whole nature of the structure which indeed is the mother and home of our sun and the other 10 to the 8th stars within it. The radio map reveals that whole areas of the sky are filled with more light than are other areas, and that this light is graded toward the plane of the galaxy, with the greatest brightness in the direction of the Galactic Nucleus. (The Galactic Nucleus is at the lower right hand side of the illustration.)

Radio Sky

Also pictured is a radio map from which the first illustration was made. The Galactic Center or nucleus is clearly visible as the most intense area on the map (R.A. 17h42'29.5" Declination -28deg.59'l9" is the radio nucleus). the direction of the anti-center of the galaxy is also quite bright as is the entire galactic equator. Yet another very intense region is located in Cygnus the Swan at about R.A.20h. Declination +40 deg.. This Cygnus region represents a cross section of one of the spiral arms of our galaxy. In other words, we are looking straight into a spiral arm and across the galactic plane. Located in this region is one of the most intense discrete radio sources, Cygnus A, a "radio galaxy" considered to be some six hundred million light years distant from our sun. In the words of the radio astronomy pioneer John D. Kraus of Ohio State: " The tremendous magnitude of Cygnus A's power (l0x38 watts) may take on more significance if we note that the radio energy radiated by this source, in just one millionth of a second, is sufficient to supply all of the world's electric power requirements for all purposes (light, heat, Mechanical work, etc.) at a million times the present rate for the next ten million years." That is indeed hot stuff! It might also be of interest to point out that all places on the earth at +- 40 deg. latitude or thereabouts experience a transit directly overhead of the Cygnus A radio source each day.

The Kinds of Light

Until about 40 years ago, man's knowledge of the Cosmos outside the sphere of the earth came almost entirely from the light he could collect with large mirrors and lenses. In fact "light" meant to him the "eye" and the visual part of the electromagnetic spectrum. The atmosphere surrounding the earth is largely opaque to the great range of radiation of the electromagnetic spectrum, although there are several transparent regions through which we may receive light and "look" out into space. These have been appropriately called "windows" and the two principal windows are the optical and radio bands of the light spectrum. If we compare these two windows to the sound spectrum, the radio window represents a ten octave span, while the optical window represents a little less than one octave! There are also several bands of relative transparency in the INFRARED range through which appear an almost entirely different set of stars and constellations. In fact, the range of energy between the extremes of the light spectrum (something like 10x20) is so great that very different techniques have evolved for their study.

The Earth's Aura

The atmosphere of the earth serves to shield the earth itself from much of the radiation reaching it from outer space with the exception of the two windows in the visual and radio frequencies.

As mentioned, the atmosphere of the earth serves to shield the earth itself from much of the radiation reaching it from outer space with the exception of the two windows in the visual and radio frequencies. In recent years, man has removed the entire concept of windows by simply bypassing the atmosphere through the means of balloons, rockets, and space vehicles. Beyond the atmosphere of the earth, the entire range of the light spectrum is wide open to reception. In our lifetimes, we have experienced not only a fantastic increase in RECEPTIVITY of light but ACTIVE outreach beyond the atmosphere and earth itself. Man has himself stepped out into space. He has gone beyond himself into a fresh inquiry into the nature of his existence.

As astrologers, we have a habit of associating OUTWARD EVENTS with a simultaneous change within ourselves. The array of recent astrophysical events may tax even our imagination. Man's understanding of the nature of his universe and thus himself has changed in recent years beyond any memory of change that history can offer as guidance. This astrologer can remember when cosmic food for thought was still kind of rare and the use of the imagination had to be encouraged! The deluge of fascinating information has had the effect of curbing our imagination and limiting our inquiry to the simple available facts. At least at this time in history, the facts are more inspiring than any flight of the imagination, or as it has been repeatedly said: the facts are indeed "stranger than fiction."

In recent years, we have turned from an age old. very active state of receiving (essentially passive in nature), to a bold, active inquiry into the nature of ourselves and our "God" or Awareness.

Let us examine here some of these facts and the ideas or interpretations they seem to generate. None of this interpretive speculation is intended to be dogmatic. It is simply an attempt to arrange or order some of this new material and get some sense of what it means for the astrology of the future and the present time.

How Kinds of Light are Produced

Radio waves, the longest waves, are generated by oscillating electric currents. the SHORT WAVE radio waves or MICROWAVES have a wavelength similar to that of sound through air. INFRARED RADIATION (a hot stove for instance) is produced by rearrangements of the outer electrons in atoms. The human eye is sensitive to a very narrow range of wavelengths corresponding in musical terminology to slightly less than a single octave and is to be compared to the enormous frequency range to which the human ear is sensitive. ULTRA-VIOLET light immediately joins the visual spectrum. X-rays have wavelengths of the approximate size of atoms and originate in the rearrangement of the innermost electrons in atoms. The Gamma Rays (y-rays) are the electromagnetic waves of highest frequency and therefore, the shortest wavelength and they originate in the rearrangement of the particles within the atomic nucleus itself. How does our universe appear at these different frequencies?

Starting with the longer radio waves, of several meters, the reading we get is of a universe alive with a radiant haze or constant glow of radiation in all directions. As we move to receivers of higher radio frequencies, certain forms begin to emerge out of the general fog. The haze appears to be brighter or thicker in the direction of the Galactic Plane and particularly around the galactic nucleus which is alive with light. The plane of our galaxy is a glowing arch across the heavens. As we further increase the frequency we penetrate or see more sharply across the radiant fog and real discrete features begin to appear. Extended sources of radiation, and at still higher frequencies, point sources or "radio stars" show up shining at these frequencies more brightly than any other objects in the heavens, yet have never been seen with the human eye. At yet higher frequencies, we reach the VISUAL level of radiation where point sources are the main objects resolved — the stars. At still higher frequencies of the x-ray and gamma ray wavelengths, the energy is so intense that it "looks" or passes right through most materials.

Our knowledge of the physical universe is a result largely of what we have been able to see in the visible or conscious-mind window. The rational or conscious mind (visual eye) is no longer able to carry the burden of leadership of our life as it has been able to do in the past. In other words: Our dependence upon this organ and idea is breaking down, and the load it carried is being redistributed among other senses. In addition to the eye. The Conscious Mind has a long history of discrimination and a particular way of looking at the world. We are discovering that we can "see" through other senses as well and the future looks bright as we learn to tolerate these new ways of seeing. The results of all of these different portions of the light spectrum do form a unified whole, although we should expect to find specialists working in areas outside of the eye or rational mind.

The universe at radio frequencies, with the textures and forms never seen with the eye, is literally a map of our subconscious and psychic realm. We can expect to find radio astrologers measuring and discovering individuals who personify or represent some of the great radio sources. On the other end of the visible spectrum, the higher frequency x-rays and gamma rays, we find a measurement of what we can only call the SUPER CONSCIOUS where we do not find so much texture as powerful lights seeing through clearly the form and structure so visible at radio frequencies. We can expect to see x-ray astrologers whose chief interest is not form, but light as never before measured. Above all, these new techniques will mean a discovery and appreciation of a variety of genius besides the stars that have captivated our attention for so long. We will be able to find and know radio and x-ray light and genius. Perhaps we will learn to go to those among us who can see at radio frequencies, the psychics and "sensers", and learn how to "feel" and explore the feeling and texture of our life. We will go to the x-ray genius when we hurt or "feel" too much, and benefit from their vision that sees through our feeling and clears us up. Again: the vision that occurs to me is a new appreciation and tolerance for all of the different kinds of light and their human representatives. The psychic or Radio Genius can accurately see or feel and tell us truths about ourself that we have never known how to feel, and the X-ray or reflective genius who cuts through our feelings and mirrors ourself to us that we may accept this self.

Our investigations show that each of us will be drawn to study those kind of points that they in fact are and act out in life. An initial fear of this author when first I considered all of the very many new radio and x-ray points was that I would not be able to make sense of so many points and would spread myself too thin. In fact, this never happened. I was drawn inexorably to just those points which figure most clearly in my horoscope and discovered in these remote cosmic events my innermost feeling and self. I greatly feared being "lost out there in the stars" and my faith in life has increased very much as I experience a great return from my inquiry and a coming to my Self. I have no longer any sense of there being any "Other" out there but no, just my Self, and my life out there as in here. No other: One.

 

© Copyright: Michael Erlewine

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