Most space enthusiasts are familiar with the Overview Effect coined by Frank White which many of the astronauts who have made it to space have experienced: a spiritual cognitive shift as a result of seeing the Earth from space that increases some astronauts’ sense of connection to humanity and the universe. Now in a paper published in the journal Religions, Deana L. Weibel introduces the term “Ultraview Effect” which describes “…the parallel experience of viewing the Milky Way galaxy from the Moon’s orbit … that can result in strong convictions about the prevalence of life in the universe or even unorthodox beliefs about the origins of humanity.”
Weibel conducted extensive research based mainly on astronauts’ first-person writings, historical documents, and her own ethnographic interviews with nine astronauts conducted between 2004 and 2020. She explores a hypothesis that through space exploration, humanity’s increased awareness of “hyperobjects” such as our planet from space or our galaxy from the Moon, have the potential to be socially beneficial. This could lead to better collaboration, heightened creativity and set us on a more hopeful path for eventual space settlement.
