"For my part I know nothing with any certainty, but the sight of the stars makes me dream." [Vincent van Gogh]
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"And as the fire burned low and only a few glowing embers remained, we laid on our backs all warm in our sleeping bags and looked up at the stars. And as I felt myself falling into the vastness of the Universe, I thought about things, and places, and times." [Aurora Borealis, C. W. McCall]
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I once read the book, Dark Sky Legacy, in which the author, George Reed, examines humankind's fascination with the night sky throughout history. I picked it up to read because I, too, have a fascination with the night sky, and while the book was okay, it touched on a subject I often wonder about. Why do we seem to enjoy the night sky so much?
The van Gogh quote provides one answer. It makes us dream. We see the night sky and the far off stars, and we cannot help but wonder what else is out there. Staring into the night sky, looking at the stars, we look for answers. We ponder life's meaning. We let ourselves drift off "into the vastness of the universe," as C. W. McCall says.
There is something calming about the night sky, especially if you are not fortunate enough to live away from the hustle and bustle of the city. For the most part, I grew up in or near the city, often on Army bases, where there was always something going on. Peaceful, dark nights were hard to come by. Every year, however, my family traveled to my grandparents' house, and there, I experienced the night sky the way it was meant to be. I looked at the stars, so abundant, that individual stars became awash in the light of countless others, otherwise invisible to me most of the year. And during those times, I would simply stare at the sky, looking at the stars, contemplating life, at peace with myself and the world around me.
It's no wonder that many astronomers, physicists, and other scientists think so big. How could you possibly look at something as seemingly endless as the universe around you, and not wonder about the possibilities?
I love taking walks at night, stopping from time to time, simply to stare upward, and see what there is to see. I don't do it nearly as often as I used to, which is regretful, but I plan to get out there more. To experience God's creation. To dream. To become one with the world around me. To live. To wonder...
Join me, won't you? :)
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[A very good National Geographic article about the night sky and light pollution]
