Journal of International Scholarship

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Journal of International Scholarship > Volume 1, Issue 2 (2026) > e011006

The Night Sky and Religious–Spiritual Orientation: Associations of Noctcaelador with Existential Well-Being, God Image, and Religious Orientation

William E. Kelly

Abstract

This study investigated if noctcaelador, psychological attachment to the night sky, is related to spiritual-religious functioning. Participants (N = 236) completed self-report measures of noctcaelador, religious and existential well-being, God image, and intrinsic and extrinsic religious orientation. Noctcaelador was unrelated to intrinsic religiosity and religious well-being but was associated with less existential well-being and perceptions of God as less loving. Noctcaelador also was associated with an extrinsic-social religious orientation and more perceptions of God as controlling. Regression analyses identified lower existential well-being and more extrinsic-social orientation as significant independent predictors of noctcaelador, although effect sizes were modest. These findings suggest that night sky attachment may be more strongly linked to experiential and context-dependent meaning-making than to internally integrated religious commitment. Limitations and implications for relationships between noctcaelador and spirituality are discussed.

RESEARCH ARTICLE

Published 

April 12, 2026

Keywords

Noctcaelador;

Night sky;

Spirituality;

Religiosity;

Existential well-being;

Religious orientation;

God image