government. And unless He shone as a sun before those who are in the
spiritual world, angels could have no light; for angels are spiritual,
and therefore no other than spiritual light is in accord with their
essence. That there is light in the heavens, immensely exceeding the light
on earth, will be seen below where degrees are discussed.

104. As regards the sun, therefore, from which angels have light and heat,
it appears above the lands on which the angels dwell, at an elevation of
about forty-five degrees, which is the middle altitude; it also appears
far off from the angels like the sun of the world from men. The sun
appears constantly at that altitude and at that distance, and does not
move from its place. Hence it is that angels have no times divided into
days and years, nor any progression of the day from morning, through
midday to evening and into night; nor any progression of the year from
spring, through summer to autumn, into winter; but there is perpetual
light and perpetual spring; consequently, with the angels, as was said
above, in place of times there are states.

105. The sun of the spiritual world appears at a middle altitude chiefly
for the following reasons: First, the heat and light which proceed from
that sun are thus at their medium intensity, consequently are equally
proportioned and thus properly attempered. For if the sun were to appear
above the middle altitude more heat than light would be perceived, if
below it more light than heat; as is the case on earth when the sun is
above or below the middle of the sky; when above, the heat increases
beyond the light, when below, the light increases beyond the heat; for
light remains the same in summer and in winter, but heat increases and
diminishes according to the degree of the sun's altitude. Secondly, the
sun of the spiritual world appears in a middle altitude above the angelic
heaven, because there is thus a perpetual spring in all the angelic