Stars Bright

Posted by Melissa Y. | November 17, 2009 | 18 Comments

stars

After several hours of driving, I stepped out of the car and felt the breath rush out of me. In my thirty years I could not remember seeing the night sky appear as it did then. It was literally stunning. I felt like I’d been lifted into space, like I could touch the stars or breathe them in. It had been years since I’d been in a wilderness at night.

When we moved to a small rural community, I spent many nights out on our deck star gazing. The scuffle in the city council at the time was over an ordinance that would minimize the wattage allowed for outdoor lighting. How quaint, I thought, that an issue like that is even on the agenda, let alone heated. But evening after evening as I sat and marveled, I came to appreciate the emotion behind the ordinance.

The place we live now has more light pollution and the stars are not as breathtaking. I barely give them a second glance. I didn’t spend even one night this summer looking heavenward, and now that it’s too cold to do so, I’m feeling the lack. Somehow in the vastness of space, I find it easier rather than more difficult to feel connected to God. Like somehow my very awareness, the fact that I’m feeling my own existence in the face of that dark expanse, connects me to the divinity in my spirit.

I’m not schooled in astronomy. I can’t identify any constellations other than the Big Dipper and Orion. The celestial symbols of our faith are mostly a mystery to me. But even with all of my ignorance, I find that I’m able to learn something about light by spending time in the dark.

The Leonid meteor shower happened early this morning. Did anyone see it?

Comments

18 Responses to “Stars Bright”

Janet
November 17th, 2009 @ 9:07 am

I didn’t actually “look up” until I was 40 and assigned to teach stargazing at YW camp. I became an amateur astronomer after that, getting a telescope and my own subscription to Astronomy magazine and even taking a class at BYU. I can point out quite a few constellations now and I always know what phase and where to find the moon. But there is so much light pollution with the relatively new Orem street lights I can’t just enjoy the stars from my front yard any more and I miss that.

I wholeheartedly agree with this quote by Abraham Lincoln:

“I never behold the heavens filled with stars that I do not feel I am looking in the face of God. I can see how it might be possible for a man to look down upon the earth and be an atheist, but I cannot conceive how he could look up into the heavens and say there is no God.”
Sharlee
November 17th, 2009 @ 10:04 am

Beautiful, Melissa.
Nan
November 17th, 2009 @ 10:46 am

When I lived in Australia, I always felt disoriented looking at the night sky because all of the stars are different. It wasn’t that I was too schooled in astronomy either, but something just wasn’t quite right. Then, as summer approached, Orion popped his magnificent head over the horizon . . . except . . . he. . . was . . . upside down! I felt like I had moved to another planet instead of another country.

Weeks later I found out that my wonderful companion, from Tokyo, was terrified of our brilliant night sky and the bush near our flat. It was the artificial light at the constant noise of the city that had lulled her to sleep each night. The quiet, which I found so deep and lovely, was disconcerting to her. When we rode our bikes home in the dark, she stayed just inches from my back tire, convinced somebody would jump out of the dark after us.

Alma 30:44 . . . “The scriptures are laid before thee, yea, and all things denote there is a God; yea, even the earth, and all things that are upon the face of it, yea, and its motion, yea, and also all the planets which move in their regular form do witness that there is a Supreme Creator.”
Catania
November 17th, 2009 @ 11:24 am

I just moved to a rural area after living in Scottsdale. When I lived in AZ, we just didn’t see the stars that much. I didn’t even realize I was missing them…

Then, about a week ago, I was running out to my car. It was freezing (remember, I just moved away from Phoenix!), and I somehow noticed the stars. It was amazing. I had forgotten all about them.

It is so important to remember these blessings we have. They seem like no big deal, but when you think about it – stars – they are just so amazing; they truly testify of Christ. And I’m humbled by the knowledge that even with everything Christ has created – he knows me, personally. How comforting.

Anyways – thanks again for the post!
Lindsay
November 17th, 2009 @ 12:01 pm

I watched Leonid this morning from rural NY. It was amazing! Absolutely breathtaking. Thanks for the timely post. There is truly something to be learned and felt each time you gaze into a night’s sky. You really captured that. Thanks again.
corktree
November 17th, 2009 @ 12:53 pm

“I find that I’m able to learn something about light by spending time in the dark.”

Love this. On so many levels.
Michelle L.
November 17th, 2009 @ 1:00 pm

Thank you Melissa. I’m going to spend a little more time looking heavenward (with a big coat and snowboots of course).
Selwyn
November 17th, 2009 @ 1:00 pm

Lovely Melissa!

I have been collecting recent photos from the Hubble telescope of distant galaxies – they are so beautiful!

“Let there be light…”
wendy
November 17th, 2009 @ 1:06 pm

Beautiful, Melissa!

I am reminded of one of my favorite quotes: “The contemplation of celestial things will make a man both speak and think more sublimely and magnificently when he descends to human affairs.” –Cicero

I dabble in observational astronomy, and my dh and I try to head to the hills for the Perseids Meteor Shower in August, but I forget to keep up with it and didn’t know about this morning’s shower. We had a hotdog roast a couple of weekends ago in a nearby canyon and found a dark parking lot with an amazing view. I was reminded how much I do miss seeing more of the stars in our bright city. Anyway . . . thank you for your beautiful words!
Lee Ann
November 17th, 2009 @ 4:58 pm

National Geographic did a long article on light pollution, and how it interferes with breeding cycles, migration patterns, etc. I was reading with interest, then turned the page to…a brightly lit LDS temple at night. That’s been creating a little dissonance in the back of my head ever since.
Amira
November 17th, 2009 @ 5:23 pm

Our current city isn’t great for skywatching, but we’ve lived in some places that have been wonderful. I think we might be in a great place a year from now, but right now we’re missing all the meteor showers.

And, yes, while I love to see the temple at night, brightly lit, I always cringe at the light pollution. I think we could do so much more to reduce light pollution. We’d lose some beautiful sights at night, but we’d get so many more back. We need the dark back.
jks
November 17th, 2009 @ 6:37 pm

At least I don’t have to blame light pollution. Its the rain and the clouds. No stars, and no sun either. This fall the lack of sun is bothering more than it has ever bothered me before.
m&m
November 17th, 2009 @ 7:04 pm

I have always loved the stars. When I went to the temple for the first time, it helped me understand all the more why I do: they are more evidence of our divine Creator and His son — and Their light.

I love looking in the sky for planets and for my favorite constellations. I think the winter sky is amazing, but maybe that’s because Orion is one of my favorites (and one of the most easily identifiable…and it’s HUGE in the winter!)

I also love lying on my son’s bed at night – I did glow stars all over his ceiling in the form of many of the constellations + many more stars all over.
Tay
November 18th, 2009 @ 11:46 am

That’s why I loved visiting rural Tennessee. Even if there were lights, they were hidden by trees!

I took Astronomy in college and some of the photos captured of other galaxies and systems were breathtaking. Just remembering them makes me long for that class again. Why oh why did I not take advantage of that gigantic telescope!? i was such an ungrateful college student sometimes.

Looking at such magnificence always brought feelings of closeness with my Father in Heaven. He must love creating such beautiful things!
Tay
November 18th, 2009 @ 11:50 am

This is the creation of a star.
http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/archive/releases/2009/30/
It’s amazing to see the dark matter combining with the elements, pulling them in and pushing them together with so much pressure that a star will erupt out of the darkness. And it’s also amazing to think that it happened millions of years ago.
jendoop
November 18th, 2009 @ 2:56 pm

M&M – Online I found a map of the night sky the way it was on the day my daughter was born and painted it on her ceiling with glow in the dark paint. A new bedroom was her surprise for Christmas. (we moved unexpectedly 4 months later.)

The best view I ever had of the night sky was when we stopped in Wyoming on our way to Utah. It felt weird to stop just to see the stars, but it was worth it.

This post reminded me of a scripture I read yesterday-
“Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the avoice of his servant, that walketh in darkness and hath no light?
Behold all ye that kindle fire, that compass yourselves about with sparks, walk in the light of your fire and in the sparks which ye have kindled. This shall ye have of mine hand—ye shall lie down in sorrow.” 2 Ne 7:10-11 (Isaiah)

Could it be that we are creating sparks and fire around ourselves literally, so much so that we can no longer see the light of God? Great temporal/spiritual analogy.
Jen
November 18th, 2009 @ 3:32 pm

I just love this post. My husband wrote me a letter before we were married about how light pollution v. seeing the stars is like focusing on worldly v. gospel things. It’s easy to overlook those subtle yet stunning spiritual views when we get lost in the neon lights. His letter was much better articulated than my synopsis. It made a big difference for me at the time. Thanks so much for this awesome reminder. We’ll have to drive up to the mountains soon.
nita
November 19th, 2009 @ 9:11 pm

Thanks for the post and remarks..growing up I had a great hs earth science teacher- he was so good that he almost inspired me to become an astronomer.

This past August I had the chance to go to a remote village in Guatamala to help w/a humanitarian project. The area had no electricity- thus they have the most beautiful stars I have EVER seen. (the same level of darkness one would see in a platentarium.)

You could actually see the band of MILKY WAY! And there were thousands of visible stars, a far cry from what I see in my suburb in metro DC.

When I got home, one evening I lay on my driveway for a few minutes and looked at the few stars I could see- in actively searching I could see a few more stars.

I thought it was a special kindness that the people in that area of the world have such a beautiful night sky w/such a plethora of stars.