If you need a dose of humility, just take a look up at the night sky. All the stars above, extending infinitely above us – past and present, seen and unseen – can serve to remind us how small we are. But rather than feeling insignificant when I look up at the sky, I’ve always felt something else: That I’m one small part of the universe, and there are a lot of other people and things out there to ponder.
We live in a time when most people, myself included, have never seen the Milky Way in person. Fifty years ago, all you had to do was look up. Now, especially in the city – but even in more rural areas, as light pollution can spill over there, too – looking up at night affords you a not-so-lovely glimpse of a vague orangish glow on cloudy nights, with a few of the brightest stars poking through if you’re lucky.
For thousands of years, our ancestors knew nighttime as a time of darkness, illuminated only by the moon and stars above. Even a hundred years ago, a bright night was more like a sci-fi tale than reality. Now, the vast majority of people in the world no longer know the true meaning of dark. There is light, always and everywhere, which is sometimes good – but in many ways, not. As more and more research suggests, maybe losing night isn’t such a great thing.
Anyway, if you haven’t been stargazing in a while, summer is the perfect time to try it again. You don’t need a fancy telescope; a good pair of binoculars works well, but the naked eye does, too. You might not have a truly dark sky above you, but if you can find a dark-sky site nearby, it will be worth it. But even in the most light-polluted areas, you’ll still be able to see the moon, bright stars and any planets that happen to be out (although you don’t have to know anything about astronomy to enjoy it, I promise.) If you can, spend some time in the dark for several minutes before you want to gaze – your eyes will adjust to the low light and help you see better. And while stargazing alone is fun, having a companion to enjoy the view with you is always nice.
In a world of constant change, I’m filled with gratitude as I look up at the sky – it’s constant, too, but in a steadfast, silent way. Every night, the stars shine above us, whether we see them or not. Every night, the sun will set and darkness will fall, and we can spend time in quiet reflection, remembering for a moment that we are one piece in the immeasurable puzzle of the universe.
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If you’re interested in learning more about light pollution, dark skies, stargazing and the importance of the dark, I highly recommend “The End of Night” by Paul Bogard. It’s a rare, wonderful combination of poetic musings, scientific facts and stories of people all around the world, both now and in ages past – and it is one of the books I can truly say left an impression on me that lives on, years after I first read it.
Header photo credit: Stas Ovsky, Unsplash
bloom. 