The Allure of Astrophysics

I studied writing, literature, and publishing in college, so I didn't get a whole lot of exposure to math and the hard sciences. The closest I came was the biological and chemistry aspects of environmental science and measurements made in a print-media design class. And I didn't mind so much--math and science weren't boring, but their formulaic consistency (especially as they got more complex) depicts a false representation of a constantly changing world. Could the earth itself ever be as predictable as the sine of 9?

But there's something about astronomy--and physics in relation to astronomy--that always intrigued me. Maybe it was my childhood obsession with Sailor Moon (a pop-culture phenomenon that I am dying to talk about, just waiting for the right time), or the lyrics in some metal songs that refer to astrophysical phenomena, but the planets and outer space, and space-time, have held my interest. Not enough to deter me from my more--er, creative--passions, but present nonetheless. And it's just one of the reasons why this blog can often appear unfocused: my mind is a multi-faceted prism of thoughts, interests, and ideas, so it's difficult to single out any one passion without outright rejecting the others.

Today I got to look through an actual astrophysics textbook (it's my job for the summer), and I wanted to sit down and READ it. At least attempt to make sense of all the formulas and diagrams permeating the book. I am far from incapable of understanding the complexities of astrophysics--last year I read an article by Stephen Hawking, and could follow it quite closely. I want to read more, but it can be hard coming across a relevant article when I lurk around unrelated websites.

I think the primary allure is that of the more neglected portion of my brain, if that's really how mental tasks are divided up. I always think through my writing applying logic and considering certain scenarios--more of a pragmatist than your average fiction writer, perhaps. It's also easier for me to understand astrophysics than other sciences, which I'm less well-versed in: computer science, for example. I know how to work MS Office and Adobe, but I don't really care too much what makes them work (well, maybe a little).

It can be disconcerting (at the very least) to be thinking about the vastness of the universe, and mind-boggling to think about how light perception is not objective, but subjective, and how time and space are interrelated. At the same time I like thinking about it when the subject comes up. It's fascinating to explore these mysteries, and I am totally behind those who do it for a living. Perhaps it's just an intersection between logic and intellectual spirituality.

The thing is, while the universe is fucking awesome and all, I tend to want to focus on stuff that's happening here on earth--and incredible entity in and of itself. And though scientists may have found a planet truly capable of housing life, we got to take care of this one.

Photo credit: Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. Another cool thing about space: it makes amazing art.