Two spiral galaxies are hurtling towards each other, about to collide. Two civilizations developing on parallel worlds in the distant galaxies are about to come in contact. Will the result be survival or destruction for one or both?
On Proteus in the Heavenly Way Galaxy, Shawn Russell lives outside the small town of Kernville in the central California foothills. It’s 2015 and he drives an Edsel converted to natural gas, flies a Cessna with an engine that runs on diesel, and bombs around the backcountry on a quad-like device called an Energoe. You’ll often find Russell chowing down on BBQ at Cheyene’s Restaurant with his friend Farley. Shawn is a modern-day shaman (formally a philososcience consultant) studying and preparing his world for the impending galactic collision far in the future.
Photo Credit: NASA; ESA; Z. Levay and R. van der Marel, STScI; T. Hallas; and A. Mellinger
Earth in the Milky Way Galaxy is almost 5 billion years away both in distance and time. But Earth has more pressing problems. The sun is dying and the planet and solar system are becoming uninhabitable. Kane Suane, an astrophilosopher, is part of an elite group studying ways for the human race to survive. Will an earth-like planet called P4531 in the approaching Andromeda Galaxy be the answer they are so desperately seeking? Or will it be the demise of the parallel civilization emerging on Proteus?
Science fact and fiction are closely related. What seems impossible or improbable today may be commonplace in the future. For example, the Sagittarius Dwarf Elliptical Galaxy (SagDEG) has passed through the Milky Way and may have some of its stars merging with ours. Observations from NASA’s Hubble Telescope supports the prediction that the Milky Way will collide with the Andromeda Galaxy in over 4 billion years. But it won’t be as bad as it sounds. Generally, stars (and their planets) from both systems will be unaffected. Distances between celestial object are so great that physical collisions are unlikely. What do you think? — Wayne
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Wayne J. Lutz, Author 
These photos are simply breath taking.
Thanks Lux. I enjoy taking photos when I fly, and just happened to catch Lake Isabella in California on a perfect day with the high Sierras still covered in snow. We went there often to camp with the Mt. San Antonio College Flying Team. It’s a place that always inspires me.
Great shots.
We often flew our airplane to Lake Isabella to enjoy camping and swimming and floating down the Kern River.