Autumnal Equinox : Last Light

by Rob Rey

6 x 8 inches
Oil Study on Board

If you’ve ever gone camping in a secluded place and walked away from the safe and warm glow of the fire, you’ve probably experienced a flash of fear for what could be out in the darkness with you, unseen. Before electricity, when the sun went down, candles and campfires would have been our only feeble weapons against these fears, leaving us nothing to do but wait through the long darkness until the sun rose again to save us for another day. So in addition to the harvest symbols of our agricultural ancestors, the autumnal equinox represents the the last waning light before the long and psychologically safe days turned into the long and fearful nights of winter. From this perspective, it’s easy to see why the sun and it’s light plays such a strong role in the myths of so many cultures.

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Rob Rey

Art to help make science a more meaningful part of our lives.

Cosmic Perspective is using the insights of modern science to see the big picture of the world and our place in it with a sense of belonging and connection. It’s understanding our scale within the universe - being humbled by a grand and awe-inspiring expanse of space and deep time. But it’s also seeing the very small with a sense of wonder for the staggering complexity of biology, chemistry, and quantum mechanics. Making an effort to comprehend the cosmos has a way of putting our lives, troubles, and pride in a helpful frame of reference, allowing us to refocus on what matters most. When we see the Earth as a lonely blue speck of oasis, it naturally sparks feelings of fellowship with all other earthlings. Through this panoramic lens, our terrestrial disputes and nationalist contentions are reduced to insignificance. Empathy and compassion become obvious ways to relate to one another.

In a time when our traditional sources of meaning are growing less resonant, Cosmic Perspective provides a new and inspiring scientific origin story of humanity, united by our shared atomic history as stardust. It provides a sense of kinship with all life on earth in our shared genetic evolution over four billion years of development. It provides a sense of belonging and responsibility as a crew member on this spaceship Earth, of which humanity now sits at the helm. It provides hope in our capacity to reason and understand the cosmos of which we are part, giving us new powers to cure disease and improve our lives. It provides us with purpose and necessitates cooperation to preserve and cherish our tiny planet, the only habitable place we know to exist.

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