ANCIENT SKIES

Magazine Overview

Title: ANCIENT SKIES
Issue: Volume 13, Number 1
Date: March-April, 1986
Publisher: ANCIENT ASTRONAUT SOCIETY
Country: USA

This issue of ANCIENT SKIES, the Official Logbook of the Ancient Astronaut Society, focuses on the controversial theories of Immanuel Velikovsky and their reception by the scientific community, alongside explorations of ancient Indian aeronautics and futuristic propulsion systems.

Immanuel Velikovsky and the Scientific Method

This article by Kenneth C. McCulloch details Immanuel Velikovsky's groundbreaking work, beginning with his 1950 book "Worlds in Collision." Velikovsky proposed that drastic cataclysms reshaped the Solar System in ancient times, including near-collisions of planets. His subsequent books, "Earth in Upheaval" and "Ages in Chaos," provided further evidence from geology, archaeology, and ancient texts. The scientific community's reaction is described as immediate and hostile, with attempts to suppress his work and label him a non-scientist. McCulloch notes that Velikovsky's theories, though initially rejected, have seen some predictions verified, such as Venus's high surface temperature and anomalous rotation.

Velikovsky's predictions included Venus being extremely hot (later confirmed by space probes), Jupiter being a radio source (also confirmed), and Venus having anomalous rotations and a massive atmosphere. He also suggested Venus's atmosphere might contain hydrocarbons. Evidence cited for his theories includes ancient manuscripts describing cataclysms, calendars that no longer worked, and rescheduled festivals. He posited that Venus was formed from Jupiter and nearly collided with Earth around 1500 BC, coinciding with the Exodus from Egypt and the eruption of Thera. Subsequent close encounters between Earth and Mars are dated to 747 and 687 BC.

Velikovsky also challenged accepted ancient chronology, particularly Egyptian history, suggesting events occurred about 600 years later than commonly believed. This revision had far-reaching implications for the chronologies of other cultures. His later work, "Mankind in Amnesia," explored how collective trauma from these catastrophes might have led humanity to suppress its memories.

McCulloch criticizes the scientific community's adherence to paradigms, suggesting that resistance to Velikovsky stemmed from his challenging these established frameworks and addressing the general public. He contrasts this with examples of the scientific method in action, like Newton's Law of Gravitation and the nature of light, where theories were modified or refined based on new evidence.

The Paradigm of Astronomy Under Attack

This section reports on two significant announcements made in early May 1986 that challenged existing astronomical paradigms. The first, reported by the Chicago Tribune on May 4, 1986, indicated that the Milky Way galaxy is much smaller than previously believed, with a diameter of about 70,000 light years instead of 100,000, and that our Sun is closer to the galactic center. These findings were based on advanced geometry used by an international team of scientists.

The second announcement, on May 8, 1986, revealed evidence of a mysterious object in space with a mass potentially 1,000 trillion times that of the Sun, making it the most massive object known. This object has not been directly observed but detected through its gravitational effects by astrophysicists at Princeton University.

The article suggests these announcements should prompt the public to realize that the scientific community is not infallible and that many accepted facts are still theories awaiting proof. The new measurements of galactic distances could have implications for space travel, making interstellar journeys seem more achievable and potentially explaining how ancient astronauts might have traveled to Earth.

It is speculated that the "expanding universe theory" might be the next astronomical concept to be challenged, with a prediction that future measurements will show the firmament to be fixed and all matter revolving around a central point.

More on the Flying Machines of Ancient India

This article explores ancient Indian aeronautics, referencing the "Yantra Sarvaswaim" of Rishi Bharadwaj, a treatise detailing various types of machines, including aeroplanes. A manuscript copy is preserved in the Baroda Manuscript Library.

Bharadwaj recounted the works of earlier masters, describing "Vimanas" as sophisticated vehicles that could travel freely on land, water, and through the sky, surpassing present-day aeroplanes. Eight types of Vimanas were constructed, categorized by their power sources:

• Sakthyudgama: Powered by energy extracted from the sky.
• Bhoothavaha: Utilized the action and reaction of the five elements (sky, earth, water, fire, air) as its prime mover.
• Dhoomayana: Powered by vapor from burning fuel.
• Sikhodgama: Powered by the burning of juices from trees.
• Amsuvaha: Flew using stored solar energy.
• Tharamukha: Flew using energy from ball-like metallic lumps falling from meteors.
• Manivaha: Powered by energy from mined metals and artificially made chemicals.
• Maruthsakha: Energized by the wind.

Each category included five different types of vehicles. A qualified aeronaut (Vaimanik) needed mastery of 32 principles and understanding of the machines' secrets, including maneuvering and construction. The article notes that special materials were used in Vimana construction, but their specific elements and modes of use are unknown today.

Additional descriptions include methods for rendering a Vimana invisible ("Gooda Rahasyam") and a scanning system ("Aparoksha") to visually observe approaching Vimanas. Other capabilities mentioned are sound collectors to intercept speech from other Vimanas, instruments to detect internal images of other Vimanas, and direction indicators similar to radar.

The article also mentions "Brahmananda Sara" providing guidelines for communication with beings on other planets.

Far-Out Propulsion Systems

This section discusses advanced propulsion concepts, linking them to President Reagan's Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) and the development of powerful lasers.

The article explores the idea of using large, accurate laser cannons to direct energy to spaceships, eliminating the need for onboard power plants. This concept, described by Dr. Jerry Pournelle in "A Step Farther Out," involves a ground-based laser installation concentrating a beam onto a launching mirror. The spacecraft, weighing about a metric ton, would be accelerated at 30g's for 30 seconds, propelled by a laser-powered ramjet effect.

A similar concept is presented by Martin Caidin in "Planetfall," where microwave energy beams transmit power to ascending, electromagnetically-propelled spaceships. Duncan Lunan, in "Man and the Planets," discusses the challenges of laser-launched spacecraft, noting that ground-based lasers primarily provide outward velocity, resulting in elliptical orbits that require an onboard rocket for circularization, thus reducing payload.

An alternative possibility discussed is that future space stations might possess mechanisms, such as cables or electromagnets, to physically hook and accelerate payloads launched from Earth into their correct rendezvous courses.

The author interprets an illustration from Zecharia Sitchin's "The 12th Planet" as potentially depicting a cone-shaped payload module of a laser-powered spacecraft, with clusters of circular mirrors to reflect laser pulses into its propulsion chamber.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around challenging established scientific paradigms, particularly in astronomy and history, with Immanuel Velikovsky's work serving as a central example. The magazine champions the idea that ancient civilizations possessed advanced knowledge and technology, as evidenced by the descriptions of Vimanas. It also looks towards future technological possibilities, such as advanced propulsion systems. The editorial stance appears to be one of skepticism towards mainstream scientific dogma and an openness to alternative interpretations of history, science, and ancient texts, advocating for a re-examination of current paradigms to accommodate anomalies and new discoveries. The society itself is presented as a tax-exempt, not-for-profit organization dedicated to scientific, literary, and educational purposes related to ancient astronauts.