A question I keep hearing.....
What exactly is the link between the paranormal and astronomy?
I guess this is a pretty straight forward question really. What are the links between the paranormal and astronomy and why have we created a site dedicated to this? How can looking through a telescope answer any paranormal questions and what exactly do we want to accomplish by documenting these things?
The more I get asked these questions, the more things I think of that can answer them.
So here is our take on the links between the subject and why we created the site.
Having contacted a local paper (Blackpool Gazette), a paranormal magazine (Paranormal Magazine, UK) and a well established astronomy magazine (Can remain nameless), here is what was said.
The local paper seemed to embrace us and did a story on us and took our picture. This is what started the site to get noticed as they have since called us and wanted a quote regarding local sightings.
The paranormal magazine has also kind of embraced us. I'm aware they have more important things to report on as they're not your average "sensationalizing paper". However, that being said they said they will squeeze us into the magazine, of which we are really pleased about. It hasn't been published yet, but looking forward to that and happy that we have been taken seriously.
The astronomy magazine... oh the astronomy magazine. All they could say is, "We fail to see the links between the two subjects but we'll consider putting you in as a readers letter." Now, I know of a few local astronomy groups that are paranormal friendly, so this was a bit of a disappointment. However, it's their loss, and purely down to their editor for being so narrow minded.
So knowing that these groups have a different take on our site, what are these links I'm writing about?
Well, lets start with the picture above: Werewolves.
All be it a mythical beast - people are said to change into a werewolf when the moon is full. Yes, you heard correct, when the moon is full. Now I'm not going to suggest that I believe in such a creature, but never the less, it is paranormal - and people do believe in them. I do keep an open mind with all things paranormal, however this isn't one of those things, unless I actually saw it with my own eyes! But there is a link here between the paranormal and astronomy. Werewolves (paranormal) + lunar activity (astronomy) = parastronomy (do you like what I did there?) 
Next up are sighting from the Apollo missions and other visits to space.
It's been said that on various missions to space, photos have been taken of UFOs. As the picture shows on the left from Gemini 7 space flight. There are two balls of light visible and these are said to be similar to those witnessed by Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin.
Surely if anyone is to be believed here, it's the astronauts that went against all odds to go to space? Surely these true hero's of our time wouldn't lie about such a thing?
In fact I have a quote here from Edgar Mitchell who was a moon walking astronaut. "They are not hostile. If they were, we'd be gone by now." He said this in an interview when commenting that aliens do exist and in fact look like E.T.
So it seems Steven Spielberg got it right!!?! And why would this man lie about aliens - he's a hero!!
So that means - Space missions (astronomy) + UFOs (Paranormal) = parastronomy
My next point is that in an Email we sent to LAPIS (a local UFO / Paranormal group - quite well known) said this, "I can vouch from personal experience that astronomers see an awful lot of strange things in the sky but almost never report them." Which is true. Only the other night I witnessed a strange flashing light in the sky, and so did my brother, when I was out with my scope. It wasn't a plane (not regular plane lights, it seemed to pulse white and nothing more - also there was no sound from it) or satellite, I saw it traveling in one direction and then lost sight of it. When my brother saw it after I pointed it out, he said it was moving in another direction. So it seemed to suddenly change it's direction!!
I checked on Starry night in case there were two possible satellites or anything celestial visible at that time. There was nothing.
That being said, it did slightly resemble a plane and I didn't get it on film or take a picture so my sighting is kind of pointless. I'd need some evidence to back it up before I start saying I definitely saw something. So if all these people see strange things in the night sky then surely (you know what's coming) astronomers (astronomy) + UFOs (paranormal) = parastronomy!
chrisbfc on our forums wrote an article about crop circles that I will mention. I don't know much about this subject so I don't really want to go too deep, but he mentions that crop circles have a connection to geometry and relate to constellations and other celestial things. If this is the case then they are showing us our solar system and constellations in patterns. Here we go again.... crop circles (paranormal) + solar systems and constellations (astronomy = parastronomy
One last thing I want to touch on, and maybe something I will look into in more depth in the future is lunar activity. Maybe people aren't too wrong about werewolves. I mean, in the past I have noticed that I can be more irate when the moon is full. If the moon can pull the sea in and out, and our body is made of 70% water, surely lunar activity will cause changes in psychic ability or paranormal activity. Are we more likely to see things when our body is experiencing these changes forced by the moon?
So I'll let you do the maths with this one: x+y=parastronomy
And just in case you haven't noticed yet, the question "Why did we create a site dedicated to paranormal and astronomy?" should have already been answered. It's here for people to document sightings and also enjoy their nightly views of the moon and stars. We want people to feel at home and talk about what they believe in here, while maintaining scientific evidence where possible.
Oh yeah, and for the wise asses who say, "What do ghosts have to do with astronomy?" the easy answer is nothing really. Ghosts are paranormal and these things all fall in one category. Unless you look at my moon and paranormal theory, and then I suppose they do relate to one another.
So keep your eyes in the skies and keep an open mind to what could be rattling about your house!!
Oh yeah, and I mustn't forget - shame on those at the well known astronomy magazine! It seems I have answered your question here.
