Since you're on a roll with theories, here's mine (unrelated to astronomy) about the functional lightsabre:
All known matter is surrounded by a kind of cloud of electrons. Electrons are electrically neutral. This is why my fingers are able to push down on these keys as I type: Like charges repel each other.
What if, through some collossal blunder of physics, the atoms of my fingers were surrounded by a cloud of positively charged electrons (Called Positrons)? My fingers would then pass through the keyboard, causing a shearing effect that would seperate the matter at the atomic level, damaging the keyboard as well as my fingers.
If a controllable beam of positrons were to be emitted in a preset area and stream, it would pass through all known forms of matter. In fact, the only thing that would halt such a shearing effect would be another beam of positrons.
We are already able to make electrons pretty much do what we want (stunguns, Tesla Coils, etc.). How difficult would it be to do the same with positrons?
As a lifesaving tool, it would effortlessly cut through steel, concrete and anything else the user wished. As a weapon, it would bore holes through armor thicker than anything currently known. Anything made of atoms would be influenced by a positron beam.
That's the theory. Putting it in a package the size of a chrome flashlight, however.....
I don't know if your familiar with string theory but at one time they had several string theories and then whittled it down to five. One scientist threw them all out saying they were mirror theories of the same thing.
Well, maybe they were "bands" of the storm that leads to the eye? See my Simile?
Why not use a stream of protons, we have the technology for that.
I prefer a molecular whip. It would have a handle and the entire whip would only be a filament one atom in width. Swing it around and it should cut through anything. Add some juice to it wo cause an electrical jolt to your target. Plus, if ever it breaks, since it is only one atom in width, you could have a coil of it, much like a fishing reel, so it would be easy to re-lengthen the filament.
You're talking about a light-sabre. While originally developed for the logging industry and the Outback Steak House for tough steaks, it was quickly adopted by the Dark Side to be used against the Jedi's
Personally, I thought phasers were a far superior weapon (If set on "destroy" rather than "stune") since they could be used at a distance and didn't require the hand to hand stuff...
The trick would be to get the positrons to travel in a a very extended oval, a flat loop, and keep them there, otherwise your beam would just keep going, and going...