Astronomers believe that this supernova remnant, one of only three in the Milky Way known to be rich in oxygen, was formed by the collapse and explosion of a massive star. This deep Chandra image shows a spectacularly detailed, rapidly expanding shell of gas that is 36 light years across and contains large amounts of oxygen, neon, magnesium, silicon and sulfur. “G292.0+1.8 is a young supernova remnant located in our galaxy. For each of these conditions, one set of images were presented without annotation, while others had the following annotation: In one part of their study, they presented two versions of the G292-B supernova- one with the stars in the background, and one without.
#The overview series#
(2011) asked participants in their study to view a series of space images, and measured how long individuals spent looking at an image. In their study on aesthetics, Smith et al. Some research has shown that knowledge about an image can change our reaction to it.
Such knowledge about art and aesthetics might be a key catalyst to achieve the heightened feeling of awe from the overview effect. Individuals who are high in OTE value aesthetics more, are more interested in novel and unusual things, and have more knowledge about art and aesthetics. (2015), OTE affects people's’ experiences with art and other aesthetics through many different ways. They found that not only do individuals report feelings of awe when looking at space pictures, but this was significantly predicted by openness to experience (OTE)- a personality trait related to curiosity and appreciation for aesthetics. (2015) showed participants images of the sky, earth, and deep space and asked participants to report if they experienced various aspects of awe (getting chills, feeling fascinated). Simply put, seeing our planet in a black sky not only makes it seem even more vibrant and beautiful, but seeing it as a collective whole promotes a feeling of unity and connectedness with the Earth. al (2016) proposed that “the juxtaposition of Earth’s features against the black vacuum of space might be sufficient to emphasize themes both perceptual (beauty, activity, visible signatures of human civilization) and conceptual (vitality, interconnectedness, preciousness)” (p.4). When we think about the overview effect, viewing Earth from outer space might provide an even greater natural beauty and scaling vastness to transform awe into this “life-changing” state. Nature in particular has been hailed as a great source of awe, as not only are things like trees and flowers aesthetically pleasing to look at, but places like the grand canyon or yosemite can make one feel ever-so-small in comparison. Research has shown that two things in particular can promote a feeling of awe- aesthetic beauty and a sense of vastness. Silvia, Fayn, Nusbaum, and Beaty (2015) describe awe as a “powerful state,” characterized by "wonder, amazement, fascination, or being moved and touched” (p.376). Yet, psychologists believe that this overview effect, or yugen, can be best explained through a heightened feeling of awe. The borrowed Japanese word “yugen” gets tossed around by many space-lovers as the deep emotional experience felt when reflecting on the beauty of vastness of the universe. So why is viewing the Earth from space such a powerful experience for so many astronauts?
Termed “the overview effect” by White (1987), he described this effect as “a profound reaction to viewing the earth from outside its atmosphere.” This overview effect has been described by many astronauts as one of the most meaningful moments of their lives.
Many astronauts have reported when they looked down on the Earth, they experienced radical shifts in consciousness, some of which can feel deeply emotional and promote a sense of connectedness with the Earth and with one another.
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