public-skepticism

In this chapter, characters debate the nature, size, and distance of the mysterious celestial object called the Wanderer, considering hypotheses ranging from a massive planet-sized sphere to a gigantic illuminated balloon. The group grapples with scientific assumptions about orbits, illumination, and visibility, while interpersonal dynamics and skepticism surface among them. The chapter ends with a formal attempt to document eyewitness accounts and a call to gather more observational data, highlighting the tension between wonder, fear, and rational inquiry.