The Sun is setting earlier and earlier: It’s really dark. The leaves are dropping quickly now, so barren branches now tremble in the wind. And yes, even that wind is generally stronger during the cold months.
Gather round the campfire. It’s the perfect time to tell blood curdling tales of the sky’s sinister side. Ramping up the scare-factor is that backyard sky-gazers are usually on our own. Seldom can we coax others to join us on freezing fall nights to stare at a rambling star pattern that we insist is a hunter or a bull.
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Autumn evokes deep‑seated, foreboding aspects to the heavens that involve ominous cultural lore. There’s no shortage of melancholy autumn myths, possibly because of the season’s dying plants and diminished food.
In most places, November will begin the cloudiest section of the year, further diminishing the already-weak precious sunlight. Moreover, the season’s long nights epitomize darkness and mystery, giving primitive civilizations an uneasy dread that went beyond their fear of nocturnal predators. Widespread cultures linked night with disaster. Even that word derives from the night sky: Dis means bad; Aster means star.
In modern times, sky‑related hazards are relatively small, but the risk is neither zero, nor is it limited to sensational possibilities such as being clobbered by a meteor.
- A more immediate hazard comes from muons. These subatomic particles, created when high‑energy cosmic rays strike the upper atmosphere, constantly zip through our bodies and occasionally damage genetic material at the cellular level. They cause many of the spontaneous tumors that have been with us long before we started downing charred hot dogs.
- Then there’s the remote possibility of a near‑enough supernova to zap our planet with lethal gamma rays. It’s a wonderfully weird catastrophe, worthy of these darkest nights. Orion’s famous star Betelgeuse is the nearest true peril. If it “goes supernova” the resulting radiation would increase earthly cancers and mutations. But at 400 lightyears, it’s too distant to wipe us out.
But bravely forget all this eerie business. Pick a good place stargaze far from lights and sky‑obstructing buildings. For a nice open sky, you can’t do much better than—a cemetery.
Bob Berman
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I have a niece who is an EMT and she dearly loves Halloween and calls it the beginning of the holiday season. When I told her it would be a full moon this Halloween and asked if she would be going to her favorite haunted tour or overwhelmed at the hospital. With a grin she said "BOTH"!
Woot! I love the October and love the November - I have the opposite of SAD, bring the dark and gloomy skies!....I am a little disappointed with the skies this past October, rather dull. I remember the dark slate blue sky and the sun shining against the autumn leaves in front - and then the dark rain clouds rolling in to soak us, briefly, and then move on. Does anyone know what I am referring to? I am in the NorthEast of the U.S/
Am a stargazer as well ..and like to see what creatures roam about my property at night(a lot more than expected) but always wondered why the "uneasies" crept up so easily in Autumn. Bob , thank you! Good reasons!
I seriously love Bob Berman. I never considered the word disaster: bad star, very cool. Words are fun things and Mr. Berman has fun with them. I always read his articles in Discover (or was it Omni?). I wonder if Mr Berman has written books, will investigate...
Yes, I look forward to his columns too! He makes it very fun and seasonal. Happy Halloween to all!
