The Solid Dome Of The Sky, part 1 (of 2)

FROM the earliest times it has been believed and said
that the heavens were not an empty space, but a
solid surface. The Chaldeans and Egyptians regarded
the sky as the massive cover of the world; and in
India and Persia it was thought to be a metallic lid,
flat or convex, or even pyramidal. Up to the 17th
century the earth was always regarded as the centre
of an empty sphere with solid walls; and on this
account, it was always represented with a cover. This
indispensable complement, however, was eliminated
upon the advent of the theory of gravitation, for convenience
sake, as a solid dome limiting the space
round the earth would have rendered impossible the
extravagant motions of the planets which were sent
revolving in the air at phenomenal distances. Thus
from this time, the fact universally accepted for thousands
of years that the sky is a firm surface, completely
disappeared.*

*It should be noted, however, that the notion of the massive nature
of the sly still subsists in the language. The word firmament means
firm surface and the French word “ciel” is derived from coelum,
which signifies chiselled material.

Nevertheless, the possible existence
of a solid vault over the earth is a question of great
importance in view of the tremendous consequences
which would result from this fact, if it happened to be
true. There is no doubt that the general reaction is one
of incredulity; but, on the other hand, it can be considered
that it is not without reason that the ancients
believed in the existence of the material vault of
heaven; nor without reason, either, that this notion
should have been consistently handed down through
the ages since the earliest times up to the I 7th century,
in all parts of the world. The only alternative
would be to be able to prove the fact, but it would certainly
appear at the present time that there is no means
of doing so. It may be discovered, however, that a
solid dome effectively exists above our heads, in an
indirect and quite unexpected manner, which the
erroneous interpretation put on the composition of
the planets had not so far permitted to do. It can be
stated at this juncture, by anticipating on the next
chapter which deals with this particular subject, that
the planets are not solid, opaque masses of matter, as
is believed. They are simply immaterial, luminous
and transparent discs; and in view of these circumstances,
it is plain that the craters, asperities, mountains
and valleys which were thought to exist on the
surface of these imaginary masses, are the topographic
features of the solid vault of the sky which
are illuminated and thrown into relief by the luminous
and transparent discs which we call planets. It is also
to be realized that the lens of the telescope creates an
appearance of convexity which, standing out in relief,
conveys the impression of a spherical mass, but this
convexity effect is merely an optical illusion.

The dome of the sky can be seen not only through
the transparent satellite discs of the earth with the
help of the telescope, but also with the naked eye, in
rare circumstances, it is true, i.e. when it is lighted by
flashes of lightning during night thunderstorms. By
a remarkable chance and in similar conditions,
the author has seen the vault of heaven entirely
illuminated, and has even been able to observe it
steadily for several minutes, due to a rapid succession
of sheet lightning discharges providing a perfect and
continuous visibility. The remark may now be made
that, if the ancients maintained that the sky was a
solid mass, it was for the reason that they had ascertained
the fact in the same circumstances, as many
observers will now be able to do in the future. The
possibility, therefore, of taking photographs by night
of large areas of the vault of heaven can now be foreseen,
particularly in those parts of the world where
owing to the frequency of thunderstorms, there are
numerous opportunities of doing so.

The aspect of the vault was that of a rather steep,
slightly sloping dome of pyramidal shape, and it
appeared to be composed of a bright metallic
dark grey matter, uniformly showing small regular
inequalities like lead which has been beaten or
chiselled. The larger details, particularly the craters,
were clearly visible against the background; but the
most impressive circumstance yet, was the incredible
nearness of the vault, the highest point of which did
not appear to be, at the most, any more than sixty
kilometers from the earth. It may be recalled in this
connection that in one of the texts of Homer, it is
stated that the height of the bell-shaped vault which
surrounds the earth is only twice that of Mount
Olympus, approximately six kilometers. This estimation,
evidently impossible, and which must have
probably resulted from the exceptional purity of the
atmosphere in Greece which may be deceptive, gives,
nevertheless, an idea of the manner in which this
question of the distance of the vault of the sky from
the earth, to which we shall return later on, is to be
envisaged.

It results, therefore, from the foregoing explanations,
that the existence of a dome of matter encircling
the earth cannot be denied; and this fact completely
revolutionizes the present day concepts on the outer
world. The earth is not freely suspended in space, but
it is resting on the floor of a cavity whose walls surround
it on all sides. The sidereal expanse does no
longer extend over unlimited and undetermined distances.

The dimensions of our Universe are now
known to be restricted, and they are confined by the
circular wall which encircles the earth. It is by this
obstacle that the radar waves are reflected; and we
may also recall, in this respect, the theory of Heaviside
leading to the existence of an upper, wave resisting
atmospheric layer, which is no other than
the solid vault of the sky. There is absolutely no
solid body between the earth and the dome of heaven,
since the constellations, like the planets, are nothing
but luminous phenomena.

The meteorites are obviously fragments which
become detached from the vault and reach the earth.
These masses when analysed prove to include a high
percentage of metal, from which we can conclude
that the inherent brilliance of the sky is due to the
presence of metals in its composition. The fact is
that the earth, at the beginning of time, must neces-
sarily have become separated from the adjoining
mass which constitutes now the vault of heaven; and,
therefore, the parts now divided must contain the
same elements. All the metals and ores of the earth
are consequently present in the surface of the sky.
An association is actually made between metals and
the sky, since the latter is instinctively compared to
lead and copper in very hot countries where broiling
temperatures intensify its metallic action and render
it more perceptible.

In classical literature there are two specific references
to the metallic nature of the sky, apart from
the one to be found in the Egyptian cosmology, but
the former may not be independent of the latter.
First, we read in the poems of Homer that star-strewn
Olympus, dwelling of the Gods, is made of glittering
bronze; and secondly, in the Old Testament, the
prophet Job gives what may be regarded as an exact
definition of the sky when he proclaims it to be a
mirror of metal. It is to be observed, in this connection,
that when poetical reference is made to the silver
mirror of the moon, it is the metallic surface of the
dome appearing under the transparent disc which,
in reality, may be described as a silver mirror. It
may further be remarked that in the mythology of the
Orient the attribute of the sun goddess is the sacred
mirror. This is another association with the true
nature of the vault; and it must be admitted that the
latter, especially when it shines and sparkles under
the sun, undoubtedly looks like a mirror.

It has frequently been observed that there is a
resemblance between glass and the sun. In the 6th
century B.C. Empedocles regarded the sun as a
vitreous body which collects and reflects the light of
the ether, but has no luminous power of its own.

The British astronomer Palmer, in the last century,
held the view that the sun is a lens which, he also
said, transmits to us the rays emanating from the
Almighty. It is further known that Ptolemy in his
system of the constitution of the Universe, speaks of
the existence of a crystalline sky, i.e. a sky in the
nature of a transparent mineral substance. One may
think, in this connection, that it is not impossible
that due to the heat developed by the passage of the
sun’s disc, there may be a fusion and vitrification of
the siliceous materials contained in the vault, so that
it becomes coated in certain places with a layer of
glass, which would communicate to the solar disc by
transparency, identical properties, so that it might
become similar to a lens. The presence of dross or
slag similar to that formed on fused metal has also
been observed on the surface of the sun, which is
really, owing to its transparency, the foundation of
the sky, and this seems to confirm the possibility of
thermal and chemical reactions taking place among
the elements which compose the vault.

It can now be understood that the light and the
heat which appeared to be produced by the sun do
not proceed from this source, but are due to a burning
glass effect which is generated by the brilliant
metallic surface of the vault under the luminous disc.
Under these conditions, all the vivifying and beneficial
properties which are attributed to the sun must
be transferred to the solid dome of the sky, as well
as the rays. These are not the sun’s rays, but they are
the rays of the metallic surface of the vault.

It is also obvious that the electrical discharges
which produce lightning take place between the mass
of the earth and that of the dome of the sky. It can
further be surmised that parts of the dome expand,
and split or explode under the stress of the passage
of the intense electrical currents and of their discharge;
hence the short detonations called thunder
claps, which are later amplified into loud rumblings,
and reverberated in the interior of the vast cavern
which contains the earth. It can further be remarked
that crashes of thunder are always immediately
followed by a metallic resonance similar to that of
bronze or brass; and it can be said that this particular
resounding, which is clearly perceptible, is certainly
produced by the metallic walls of the vault which
are made to shake and vibrate under the stress of the
detonations.