What Lies Below Earth: Direction in an Infinite Cosmos
What Lies Below Earth in an Infinite Cosmos?
Space surrounds us in every direction, yet "down" feels absolute on Earth. Gravity pulls us toward the planet's core, defining down uniquely from California beaches or Kenyan savannas. This local anchor unravels in the vast universe, where direction shifts with scale and perspective.[1]
Beyond the Ecliptic: Solar and Galactic Planes
Zoom out to our solar system: down points below the ecliptic plane, where planets orbit counterclockwise from above. Viewed from below, motion reverses clockwise. Our Milky Way galaxy embeds this in its disk, tilted 60 degrees from the ecliptic. Further, the supergalactic plane of the Local Group angles 84.5 degrees perpendicular, layering relative orientations amid sparse stars and empty voids.[2][1]
Cosmic Emptiness and Infinite Directions
Gravity flattens debris into disks over eons, but below Earth lies relative emptiness—no cosmic floor, just distant stars, Oort Cloud remnants, and interstellar bubbles. Astronauts in orbit see borders vanish, revealing Earth's oasis amid vacuum. Ultimately, down is contextual, dissolving into infinite space with no fixed below.[3][4]
