by Erekose » May 20th, 2006, 8:13 pm
Hmmm how about a Heretical view on what Narnian Astrometrics might be like?
/me is in a strange mood again.. you have been warned
First up.. all current conceptions must be thrown out.. expaniding Universe, Bing Bang, background Radiation etc..
The sky in narnia has been likened to a Dome.. okay why not.. Since narnbia is "flat", why not a Dome as a counterpoint to what was once considered to be "Celestial Spheres"
Is there any reference to the stars/constellations rising and setting? I think not... of course this may be just an ommision of fact, but then we have to go with what we have.
A Dome is not something that can reveolve in a manner to create rising and setting attributes, so now we have the concept of stars being fixed in their relative positions in the sky to the horizon (first approximation.. to be ammended slightly later)
Sun and Moon still riose and set, and so move independent of the Dome. Perhaps travelling back from West to East by way of the UnderEarth domain. (can't remember what they called themselves)
So, as a visual description...
Night sky, stars in position. Then as the dawn breaks, the sky in the East brightens, the blackness of the night sky turning to blue, the dimmer stars fading, then the brighter ones.
As the Sun starts to rise, the brightness moves across the sky, slowley drowing out the stars in the bl;ueness of the sky.
As evening falles, the East starts to dim, and slowley the sky blackens, revealling the stars in their original positions still.
Until the Sun sets completely, and the night sky is restored.
BUT.. "What of the Planets?" I hear you cry!
They would be like the Sun and the Moon, travelling on the underside of the Dome, making a slower progression, until returning by way of the Underworld regions.
"But what of your ammendment to the stars being stationary?" I now hear you cry
Well.. the stars are alive. So maybe over time they move amongst themselves.. akin to our "proper motions" of the stars when perceived over thousands of years, but in Narnias case faster. NOT movement visible to the naked eye, else why bother with named constellations? But maybe over centuries.
And of course the more sedate/older/wiser (take your pick) stars may not move much att all, being content to listen to the gossip of the more mobile younger/restless stars.
This would mean that certain constellations would hold "true" over many many many generations, whilst other constellations would be viewed as being almost temporary aspects of the night sky.
/me wonders why the idea of the physical nature of the Reality of Narnia hadn't featured in his Heresies before.
/me says "doh!" to himself, as he remembers.. his Heresies are often sparked by questions raised by others.
Call yourself a dog???? I've seen better hair on a lavatory brush!!!
