Space!

Scott A. Bowers

For many, many years now I have pondered what space really means to me. Of course, many times my questions and thoughts have been left unanswered. This is true for all of us, except for maybe Steven Hawkins!

To me I see space as infinite, as darkness. Space is neutral, it is cold. Stars occupy only minute areas of space. They are clustered a few billion here to a few billion there while forming constellations in their numbers. Space does not care, space does not threaten and space does not comfort. It does not sleep, it does not wake, and it does not dream. It does not fear. Space does not love, it does not hate. And most of all, it does not encourage any of these qualities.

Space cannot be measured, so it cannot be accurate. It cannot be satisfied. It cannot be summed up. Space is just there. Space is not large and it is not small. It does not live and it does not die. Space does not offer any truth. Space is a remorseless, senseless, impersonal fact. But to be true, space is the absence of time and of matter.

Well, there it is in a nutshell and I still have many questions to ponder on while dipping my head downwards into my eyepiece while battling the elements throughout the year. Hopefully, there will be some answers to our questions in the near future. Perhaps the answers are just on the horizon.

Clear skies!!!