Go stargazing

“I sat on the steps of the amphitheater of Glacier Point mesmerized by the astonishing view of the sunset over Half Dome. The sunset slowly faded dimming the sky, and one by one, the stars appeared as if they were light switches being turned on. It wasn’t long before every direction had a cluster of stars waiting for me. For the first time, I saw and recognized the Big Dipper, as well as the North Star. I thought this was very impressive, and then I flipped my head around and saw the Milky Way. At first sight, I was overwhelmed. It felt as if everything I had learned about astronomy, constellations, stars, galaxies, and space from books, encyclopedias, and the internet came together during this moment. It all felt so much more real than it ever had.”

“The longer I crane my neck and stare upwards, the more the cosmos reveals its secrets. Pinprick stars seem to multiply until I begin to make out the glittering arch of the Milky Way. There are other bright spots too – tiny patches of light that could be star clusters or nebulae. A satellite tracks through the constellations, drawing my gaze northwards where a faint green glow suggests the aurora borealis may be waiting in the wings.”

“I went camping upstate once and I was sooooo excited about the meteors. But the view took me out, I had never seen the structure of the Milky Way outside of pictures online. I saw about 18 meteors, but that view got me smiling in my tent even when it got to freezing temperature. I had my tent unzipped to I could peek here and there.”