Constellations Thesis Book by Nesrin Zidan

1.1. Introduction to Stargazing
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Before all the technology, smart telescopes, and rockets launched into outer
space, we had nothing but our eyes on the sky. What lies above always intrigued mankind,
and we have long turned to the heavens for answers about the universe, its origin, and what is
ahead. The glittering sea of stars was a constant in the sky and our ancestors understood that
there is more to it. Tales and fables about the beginning of time and the birth of our universe
strike a deeper connection to the stars because it seemed like they anchored us to a time and
space, they were the guide through the vast deserts, high mountains, and the dark seas. Our
ancestors noticed patterns of star alignments just by looking up at the sky every night. They
also developed associations between the solar-lunar cycles and their daily lives below.
Perhaps they imagined that the heavens could reflect who they are so, they dreamed
whilst gazing in wonder at the seemingly infinite world away from their world, taking the
Sun, Luna, and Stars as Gods looking down on them, showing them the way, but only if they
looked more closely. The desire to learn and reach the stars (literally) created an itch that did
not seem to dissipate over millennia. What we now know as modern Astronomy, is an homage
to the magical thinking of our ancestors, who were persistent to learn their place in the
cosmos. This urge has transported mankind to a pocket dimension, where they can touch the
stars down at Earth.
Our ancestors had a strong bond with the stars even though they are far away, millions
of light years away. In the present scientific endeavors, we see the same need for meaning
that led our ancestors to look up to the sky and worship its gods. Our attempts at getting
closer are becoming a plea to understand the heavens. The Egyptians, Babylonians, the Islamic
Dynasty, and many others introduced methods and tools that allowed man to venture into the
universe. The foundation of the science lies in our history and roots. Our ancesctors in the
MENA region understood the language of the sky.
Stars that died more than five billion years ago produced the atoms that make up
our bodies and everything else in the universe. Knowing this—knowing that the universe is
where our material roots may be found—makes the connection between our existence and the
history of the universe, both individually and collectively, a sentimental bond. We’ve learned
that we are molecular machines made from stardust that can think beyond their origins and
into the future. The Occult Sciences belong to our ancestors and without ackowledging that
past, we cannot move forward. This is the worldview that contemporary science has been built
upon, and it is nothing short of extraordinary. It commemorates and breathes life into our
predecessors’ desire to understand the heavens. “They were looking up to find their origin; we
looked up and found it” (Gleiser, 2022).