feeling small and amazed
Sep 21, 2009 When we were little, my Dad used to teach us constellations in our dark Virginia backyard. To this day, no matter where I am, it’s comforting to look up and find Cassiopeia or Pleiades flickering above me.
But this weekend, I got to see things I’ve never seen before up in the night sky, courtesy of the San Francisco Amateur Astronomers. I’m telling you, this was one of the happiest, dorkiest things we’ve done in a long time.
There is a stunning stone amphitheater at the top of Mt. Tam. And once a month, a volunteer group holds nighttime astronomy talks, complete with gingerbread star cookies.
We got their early and picnicked as twilight faded. Then after the talk, we followed a lantern-lined path back to the parking lot where the amateur astronomers set up their telescopes to share their knowledge of night sky. One guy ground his own mirrors when he made his telescope by hand. Another one looked like it was a human cannon, and required that you climb a metal ladder to look through the viewer.
We saw Jupiter, surrounded by four of its moons, which all looked so silent and beautiful. We also learned about the Wild Duck cluster. It looked like a cloud, made up of pinpricks of light in the inky sky. And we saw nebulas – massive clouds of dust and gases that look like beautiful, glowy smudges in the starry sky. It turns out, that's where stars are born. Literally.
This stuff makes my head fuzzy with awesomeness.
Afterwards, we took a dark walk to the top of a nearby ridge. We didn’t turn on our flashlights, but we could just make out the wandering trail and golden hills. The only sound was the rustling of tall, dry grass.
We were all quiet. And I think we all felt very small. But very happy.
mt tam stargazing in gather
Reader Comments (6)
It DOES sound like a happy, dorky time! Years ago, my hubby and I took a sailing excursion in Maine on an old schooner, and the captain taught us about the constellations, and told stories about them every night...It was fascinating!
WOW…sounds incredible.
i love dorky fun. i'm a dork for a living [scientist] but its those moments of awe and wonder that really make it fun and worthwhile.
That space-is-so-awesomely-big feeling is like nothing else. It borders on uncomfortable, but has a strong foothold in the tingly feeling of pure amazement. I think Mt.Tam is the perfect venue for such a moment. Thanks for sharing.
Your description makes the experience sound so moving. I am taking an astronomy course right now, but observations are not part of the curriculum. Oddly enough, the professor doesn't really make star gazing seem that enticing. You have definitely motivated me to seek out a local astronomy club and find an opportunity to gaze at the heavens :) Thanks!
years ago I watched a series on PBS I think it was. It was called "The Atronomers" and there was a club that made their own telescopes. I made it one of my when I retire wishes. I loved that series.