Sunday, February 11, 2007

A little jaunt to gallactic center


Imagine if our li'l world were located closer to gallactic center, instead of being stuck out here in the boonies. I went out to dump some trash tonight and looked up at the sky as I did. One of those clear, cold winter nights when the sky is crystal clear and the stars nearly pop out at you. Considering how much light pollution there is near my house (street lights, house lights, a big honkin' city just a couple of miles away) it's amazing how many stars I could see. I stood there, transfixed. It was like someone gave me a present, that's how wonderful it was. There have been many times when I have been out in rural areas at night, when I could see the Milky Way like a band across the sky. And that was pretty spectacular. But imagine how mind-blowing it would be to step outside at night and see something like this. I look at it and I feel like I'm falling into it. Cosmic. Truly.

4 comments:

wa11z said...

It is amazing. Makes you realize how significant we truly are. People like to say that looking at something like that makes them feel tiny. I feel the opposite. It makes me feel like I am truly part of something else entirely.

fermicat said...

I remember seeing the milky way as a kid, but I haven't been able to make it out in years. I live too near the city, I guess. I miss it.

TheWriteGirl said...

Wa11z, I feel exactly the same way. I imagine myself floating into the center of an enormous field of stars and rather than feeling like an insignificant speck, I feel equal to every other bit. It's like it levels the playing field. Not that I'm looking to be important -- just the opposite. Imagining that makes me feel like I'm woven into the tapestry.

BC said...

Im in the city so I dont get to see too much of the stars. My dream is to sit on top of a mountain and look up in a clear night sky and just wonder. Im even saving up for this really cool telescope.