A Voyage to Arcturus · Chapter
III: Starkness explained
Maskull and Nightspore arrive at the deserted Starkness Observatory.
What happens
Maskull and Nightspore arrive at the deserted Starkness Observatory. After breaking in, they discover a library with a cupboard containing bottles labeled 'Solar Back Rays' and 'Arcturian Back Rays.' One bottle accidentally activates and vanishes, leading to a discussion about Krag's mysterious intentions and the nature of the rays.
Themes in this chapter
The Search for Ultimate Truth
Maskull and Nightspore's quest for Krag's message and the mysterious back rays reflects a search for hidden knowledge.
The Futility of Human Endeavor
The deserted, filthy observatory and the cryptic, nearly indecipherable labels suggest the difficulty and potential pointlessness of their mission.
Characters to notice
- Maskull
Arrives at Starkness with Nightspore, breaks into the observatory, and discovers the mysterious bottles.
- Nightspore
Accompanies Maskull, seems to have prior knowledge of Krag's message, and explains the back rays.
- Krag
Referenced as the orchestrator of the journey; his message is found in the form of the bottles.
Key passages
“Unless light pulled, as well as pushed, how would flowers contrive to twist their heads around after the sun?”
Nightspore suggests that light must have an attractive force, otherwise flowers couldn't turn toward the sun.
Explains the concept of 'back rays' as light that pulls rather than pushes.
“The valve became unfastened. The contents have escaped through the open window toward the sun, carrying the bottle with them. But the bottle will be burned up by the Earth’s atmosphere, and the contents will dissipate, and will not reach the sun.”
Nightspore explains that the bottle's accidental activation released its contents toward the sun, but the bottle itself will be destroyed in the atmosphere.
Demonstrates the dangerous and volatile nature of the back rays.