Starry Nights

I may be biased, but I think the desert has the best view of the night sky. I’ll never forget the first time I felt the sheer vastness of the night sky while camping along the U.S./Mexico border, in the Sonoran desert. I had just finished my dinner and decided to lay back and count satellites while star gazing. I remember the sky nearly took my breath away as I looked out across the infinity of a flat, black desert and up to a sky splattered with more stars than open space, and I truly appreciated the words “blanket of stars,” because that is exactly what it felt like—as if the stars were wrapped around me like a heavy blanket. I felt very small. And it was exhilarating!

Why not take an evening to learn about the stars, and their constellations, even galaxies you can see. Call your local astronomy club (or start your own!) and go to their next star party. Typically they meet during, or close to, the New Moon for better viewing.

Want something really out there? Check out this week's Nature Time (side bar) for some far out music from the stars...yes, really! Go directly to the article here.

If you’re feeling a little more reflective, practice some meditative star gazing. Lose yourself in the night sky, wrap yourself in a blanket of stars and reflect on the answers you are seeking.