I was outside this morning with the dogs at 2.30. What a marvellous night sky it was! No moon to detract from the magnificence of the Milky Way and the millions of stars that make up our galaxy. These mere pinpricks of light, most of which are indistinguishable as individual stars or even visible due to their immense distance from our blue planet, form a smudged band overhead and provide a surprisingly effective source of light once your eyes adapt to the general darkness. It certainly is possible to navigate by starlight (terrestrially as well as aquatically), particularly at this time of year in the southern hemisphere when we are tilted towards the centre of the galaxy and exposed to the maximum starlight.
The air was mild enough to not need a jersey and it would have been the perfect occasion for a star party. It's Murphy's Law that ideal conditions are always at the wrong time.
If it weren't for the fact that Susie is unable to negotiate the stairs any more, I wouldn't have been outside to enjoy the galactic light show, nor the early light of dawn a few hours later, so I will view her disability as a blessing for me.
I know many people lie awake in the early hours of the morning, worrying about life in general to no avail. Instead of tossing and turning, go outside and turn your face to the universe. It may speak to you.
No comments:
Post a Comment