Stargazing and Space Exploration
“We come from the stars and we reach out to apprehend them. We are stardust in spirit and in fact; and when we delight in this, we delight in this in ourselves.”
– Kay Redfield Jamison
“The vastness of the heavens stretches my imagination,” he said. “Stuck on this carousel my little eye can catch one-million-year-old light. A vast pattern—of which I am a part—perhaps my stuff was belched from some.”
– Richard Feynman
“If the stars should appear one night in a thousand years, how would men believe and adore; and preserve for many generations the remembrance of the city of God which had been shown! But every night come out these envoys of beauty, and light the universe with their admonishing smile.”
― Ralph Waldo Emerson
“When the great earth, abandoning day, rolls up the deeps of the heavens and the universe, a new door opens for the human spirit…”
– Henry Beston The Outermost House (1928)
“Mystics tell of special moments when they feel one with the universe. All of us can use our brains, composed of matter formed long ago in the explosions of distant stars, to feel our planet wheeling around the sun, the sun around the galaxy, the galaxy on its own mysterious journey through space and time.”
– John P. Wiley, Jr.
“Through our eyes, the universe is perceiving itself. Through our ears, the universe is listening to its harmonies. We are the witnesses through which the universe becomes conscious of its glory, of its magnificence.”
― Alan Watts
“Star knowledge brings a sense of purpose, a sense of hope, a lifeline that each person is connected to … to the bigger whole, the stars, the Universe. Those stars are more than just balls of gas. [As both indigenous people and modern scientists like Brian Swimme, Curt Stager, Carl Sagan, and Neil deGrasse Tyson, realize], those stars are our oldest relatives. A sense of connectedness is a unique part of Indigenous science… It’s not like we’re just outside observers watching this. We’re a part of it.”
– Duane Hamacher, in The First Astronomers: How Indigenous Elders Read the Stars (2022). [Parenthetical clarification added by me – Hamacher, being Australian, is apparently unaware of these important North American scientists who concur with Indigenous views on the stars as relatives and Ancestors, and as a part of the Universe looking at itself.)
For Planet Patriots, appreciating the wonders of the night sky and the wider universe is essential to our lives and our hope for world peace and environmental responsibility.
To look into the night sky is to survey distant gardens in which the elements of life are ripening, and your body is a composite harvest from those cosmic fields. – Curt Stager
By understanding the vastness of the universe through a deep time perspective, using both Earth-based telescopes and space telescopes like the Hubble Space Telescope and the James Web Space Telescope, we better understand our place in the cosmos. Through the exploration of the solar system, and by studying the wider universe, collaborative efforts provides an opportunity for nations to work together in international cooperation through participation in joint missions, thereby promoting peace and understanding between governments and their people.
Celebrating the Night Sky:
- Songs About the Night Sky and Space – My collection of songs focused on astronomy and space exploration.
- Night Skies and Pantheism (PDF on box.com) – My essay from the Autumn, 2024 issue of Pantheist Vision. In this essay, I contend that astronomy is not a mere hobby or intellectual exercise, but is a mystical, bonding relationship with our kin and fellow voyagers in the Universe. The wider Universe is the source of the elements of life – and your own body – as the harvest from the cosmic fields. I further discuss the highly practical impact of light pollution, how it adversely affects not only astronomers and wildlife, but how the natural light and dark cycles fuel our circadian rhythms and an unpolluted night sky inspires and connects us.
- Night Sky Tourist – the podcast and blog of Vicky Derksen, a writer, educator, and Dark Sky advocate dedicated to helping you discover the night sky in a whole new way.
- Explore Your Night Sky Bioregion – Identifying your bioregion can lead to a fascinating path of discovery about the place where you live. This blog entry focuses on helping you learn about the nocturnal aspects of your bioregion. Instead of retreating inside our will-lit homes every night or wasting away on mind-numbing scrolling, spend a night or two every week getting to know the place around you. Go into your backyard, walk around your neighborhood and your downtown area, go to the edge of the city and into the parks. Once you’ve gotten to know those more familiar areas better at night, move beyond town to discover the less disturbed, more natural areas.
- The Sky at Night: Easy Enjoyment from Your Backyard by Tim B. Hunter (University of Arizona Press, 2023) – This book will enable you to explore space right at home with short easy-to-digest chapters. Emphasis is on naked-eye viewing with an occasional reference to using a pair of binoculars or a small telescope, encouraging beginners to explore the skies while giving them a solid understanding of what they see. Building on his writings for the long-running Sky Spy column in the Arizona Daily Star, Tim Hunter will help you understand and experience the wonders of the universe right from home.
- How to Observe the Moon by Joseph Wood Krutch (PDF)
- Astronomers for Planet Earth – Astronomers have a unique point-of-view. Stretching the minds and imaginations of the public daily, astronomers trigger awe and expand our consciousness with an astronomical perspective. We can turn this perspective inwards, back to Earth, bringing into focus the uniqueness, wonder and fragility of our only home—and the critical need to protect it & its climate.
- The Planetary Society – Empowers individuals to be effective advocates for space exploration.
- Dark Sky International – DarkSky International restores the nighttime environment and protects communities from the harmful effects of light pollution through outreach, advocacy, and conservation.
- Dark Sky Southern Arizona Chapter – Covering Pima and Cochise Counties
- Myths about Crime and Safety in a Night Sky Community – There is a myth that a brightly lit nighttime environment improves safety and security. However, studies have not found evidence that increased outdoor lighting deters crime or increases safety. Glare from street lights diminishes the eyes’ ability to adapt to low-light conditions, making driving under them less safe.
- NASA Home Page – NASA not only explores the wonders of other planets and the universe, but also the health of Planet Earth.
- Astronomy Picture of the Day – Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. Should be part of your daily ritual! Few exercises result in better consciousness expansion than this!
- NASA – Citizen Science – NASA’s citizen science projects are collaborations between scientists and interested members of the public.
- Skywatching – NASA Science – Monthly Skywatching Highlights, What to Look for in the Sky, Tools for Skywatching, and Skywatching FAQ.
- Observing with NASA – Don’t have a telescope? NASA allows you to Control your OWN telescope using the MicroObservatory Robotic Telescope Network! Explore the Universe with telescopes you control over the Internet!
- In Praise of Mystery: A Poem for Europa by U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limon – As “water worlds,” Earth and Europa share “mysteries below our sky,” so this beautiful poem is as much about Earth as it is about Jupiter’s moon Europa, which NASA will be heading for in October, 2024.
- NASA’s Night Sky Network – The Night Sky Network is a nationwide coalition of amateur astronomy clubs bringing the science, technology, and inspiration of NASA’s missions to the general public.
- Sun City Oro Valley Astronomy Club – My local club, where my wife Janet and I serve as board members.
- Space.com – Breaking space news, the latest updates on rocket launches, skywatching events and even science fiction.
- SkyMaps.com – Recommended Books & Products for Skywatchers, plus free downloads of sky maps.
- Planetary Exploration by Janet Wood – As a NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador, Janet presents public programs about NASA’s space exploration missions and explains why we need to explore space.
First Contact Day
First Contact Day is observed annually on April 5 to celebrate the Star Trek media franchise. It was created by Ronald D. Moore, screenwriter of the 1996 film Star Trek: First Contact. He chose the day based on his eldest son’s birthday. The day is based on the fictional future history of events set to take place on April 5, 2063. This is the day that Vulcans first made their presence known to humans. This event paved the way to the formation of the fictional United Federation of Planets, which remain a hopeful symbol that transcends the ideals of even the United Nations. Celebrations of the day have been recognized in numerous episodes within the Star Trek franchise. It was then celebrated n the real world beginning in 2021, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns as a kind of a “pick-me-up.” The event was Learn more at the official Star Trek website and on Memory Alpha.
It should be noted that the phrase “First Contact” is also known as a sub-genre within the larger genre of science fiction, with many cross-overs to real astronomy such as Carl Sagan’s novel Contact. As a concept, it should help us transcend the petty human concerns that in an almost hallucinatory way mesmerize so many of us, to the detriment of all other life on Earth and our own intellectual and spiritual fulfillment.
These Starfleet Officers Want You to Join the Planetary Society!
Join Brent Spiner (Data), Jonathan Frakes (Lt. Riker), Robert Picardo (the Doctor), and William Shatner (Captain Kirk) are all enthusiastic supporters of the real-world space exploration advanced by the Planetary Society.
- 55 Years of NASA and Star Trek Connections – For the past 50+ years, the science fiction franchise Star Trek has influenced scientists, engineers, and astronauts as a primary inspiration for their desire to be involved in astronomy and space exploration.
- Star Trek Memory Alpha – Since its beginning, the science fiction franchise Star Trek has been an inspiration for peaceful space exploration, with the United Federation of Planet’s “Starfleet” having its main goal to explore the universe for scientific reasons. Thus, Star Trek provides an inspirational, positive look at the future, in contrast to the dystopian future contemplated by much other contemporary science fiction. This Memory Alpha website is a collaborative project to create the most definitive, accurate, and accessible encyclopedia and reference for everything related to Star Trek.
A Planet Patriot Holiday: the release date of the original Star Trek series on September 8, 1966, is also celebrated as Star Trek Day.
First Contact Day is observed annually on April 5 to celebrate the Star Trek media franchise. It was created by Ronald D. Moore, screenwriter of the 1996 film Star Trek: First Contact. He chose the day based on his eldest son’s birthday. The day is based on the fictional future history of events set to take place on April 5, 2063. This is the day that Vulcans first made their presence known to humans. This event paved the way to the formation of the fictional United Federation of Planets, which remain a hopeful symbol that transcends the ideals of even the United Nations. Learn more at the official Star Trek website.
It should be noted that the phrase “First Contact” is also known as a sub-genre within the larger genre of science fiction. As a concept, it should help us transcend the petty human concerns that memorize so many of us, to the detriment of all other life on Earth and our own spiritual enrichment.
Poetry
Although often as mere decoration, some poets throughout the centuries have put the stars into thoughtful and interesting use as more than mere poetic decoration, offering songs in celebration of the starry firmament. Shakespeare, Wordsworth, Keats, and others have all incorporated stellar themes in their poetry. Unfortunately, most add human-created fabrications like spirits, fairy-folk, elves, or use the stars as as allegory for human values like steadfastness, immortality, or comfort. For our purposes, we’re looking for poems like those below which are actually about the actual phenomena, which should be quite sufficient for our own appreciation.
Stars Now in the West the slender moon lies low, And all the lonelier stars that have their place, |
Hymn to Nature
by Edwin Emerson
Great glowing suns light up all space;
Their orbits far transcend our ken;
And minute forms replete with
grace, Fly swarming round the steps of men. Oh glorious light!
How swift thy flight, To our terrestrial sphere!
Thy complex beams.
In living streams,
All sentient beings cheer.
When I Heard the Learn’d Astronomer
By Walt Whitman
When I heard the learn’d astronomer,
When the proofs, the figures, were ranged in columns before me,
When I was shown the charts and diagrams, to add, divide, and measure them,
When I sitting heard the astronomer where he lectured with much applause in the lecture-room,
How soon unaccountable I became tired and sick,
Till rising and gliding out I wander’d off by myself,
In the mystical moist night-air, and from time to time,
Look’d up in perfect silence at the stars.
But consider the opposing viewpoint expressed by Richard Feynman’s short, sublime soliloquy on why knowledge enriches life rather than detracting from its mystery:
I have a friend who’s an artist and has sometimes taken a view which I don’t agree with very well. He’ll hold up a flower and say “look how beautiful it is,” and I’ll agree. Then he says “I as an artist can see how beautiful this is but you as a scientist take this all apart and it becomes a dull thing,” and I think that he’s kind of nutty. First of all, the beauty that he sees is available to other people and to me too, I believe…
I can appreciate the beauty of a flower. At the same time, I see much more about the flower than he sees. I could imagine the cells in there, the complicated actions inside, which also have a beauty. I mean it’s not just beauty at this dimension, at one centimeter; there’s also beauty at smaller dimensions, the inner structure, also the processes. The fact that the colors in the flower evolved in order to attract insects to pollinate it is interesting; it means that insects can see the color. It adds a question: does this aesthetic sense also exist in the lower forms? Why is it aesthetic? All kinds of interesting questions which the science knowledge only adds to the excitement, the mystery and the awe of a flower. It only adds. I don’t understand how it subtracts.
U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón Reveals Poem “In Praise of Mystery” to Fly on NASA’s Europa Clipper
Arching under the night sky inky
with black expansiveness, we point
to the planets we know, we
pin quick wishes on stars. From earth,
we read the sky as if it is an unerring book
of the universe, expert and evident.
Still, there are mysteries below our sky:
the whale song, the songbird singing
its call in the bough of a wind-shaken tree.
We are creatures of constant awe,
curious at beauty, at leaf and blossom,
at grief and pleasure, sun and shadow.
And it is not darkness that unites us,
not the cold distance of space, but
the offering of water, each drop of rain,
each rivulet, each pulse, each vein.
O second moon, we, too, are made
of water, of vast and beckoning seas.
We, too, are made of wonders, of great
and ordinary loves, of small invisible worlds,
of a need to call out through the dark.
By U.S.. Poet Laureate Ada Limón
Listen to Ada Limón read the poem. (YouTube)
Copyright Ada Limón, 2023. All rights reserved. The reproduction of this poem may in no way be used for financial gain.
The poem, “In Praise of Mystery: A Poem for Europa” will be engraved on the Europa Clipper spacecraft set to launch in October 2024. It will be accompanied with participants’ names that will be etched onto microchips mounted on the spacecraft. Together, the poem and participant’s names will travel 1.8 billion miles on Europa Clipper’s voyage to the Jupiter system. Learn more from Library of Congress.
“The size and age of the Cosmos are beyond ordinary human understanding. Lost somewhere between immensity and eternity is our tiny planetary home. In a cosmic perspective, most human concerns seem insignificant, even petty. And yet our species is young and curious and brave and shows much promise. In the last few millennia we have made the most astonishing and unexpected discoveries about the Cosmos and our place within it, explorations that are exhilarating to consider. They remind us that humans have evolved to wonder, that understanding is a joy, that knowledge is prerequisite to survival. I believe our future depends on how well we know this Cosmos in which we float like a mote of dust in the morning sky.”
― Cosmos
The lamp once out
By Natsume Sōseki
The lamp once out
Cool stars enter
The window frame.
Videos
- My Total Solar Eclipse Experience August 21, 2017 Atop 10,455′ Rendezvous Mountain, Wyoming.
- To Scale: THE SOLAR SYSTEM – On a dry lakebed in Nevada, a group of friends build the first scale model of the solar system with complete planetary orbits: a true illustration of our place in the universe.
Exploring our Own Solar System
- A Profound Cosmic Revelation – Thread by Latif Nasser – Did you know that there are quasi-moons? This entertaining thread explains how these were first discovered – in a 2 year old’s bedroom, confirmed by NASA, Lowell Observatory, the Royal Astronomical Society, and other astronomers!
- The Moon – Did you know that The Moon contains a geological record of our solar system’s history? Learn how to observe the Moon from NASA, as it gets ready to send astronauts there once again!
- Moon Park – Together we can preserve the Moon. The missions to the Moon for scientific purposes should be conducted in such a way that it does not irreparably alter the lunar landscape. The Moon has already suffered off-road vehicle abuse, and now the United States (NASA) has been joined by Russia, China, India, Japan, Germany, the United Kingdom and the European Union in the quest or race to place permanent structures and settlements on the moon. At least some part of the Moon must be preserved intact in a Lunar International Park as a dedicated wilderness area. All science requires “unaltered controls” when making changes, and so significant parts of the Moon should also be preserved intact so we can compare the changes we make there over time. E.O. Wilson ‘s “Half-Earth” project should apply equally to the Moon. In the latter’s case, it may not be about biodiversity, but lunar landscapes can be as amazing and beautiful as the stunning landscapes of Earth’s many national parks around the world.
- Solar System Exploration – NASA provides great information and imagery of our solar system – far better than most commercial websites!
Where to Learn About Space in Arizona
Due to its dark skies, desert air, and high mountain peaks, Arizona has been a center for astronomy and space exploration for decades. It is here that astronauts first trained for the 1969 Moon landing; here that the gigantic telescope mirrors are made at the University of Arizona’s Mirror Lab; here that two of the major cameras of hte James Webb Space Telescope was made, and here that the first Dark Sky Communities and Parks were first certified.
Arizona’s signature astronomy and space science resources make it a state with a large, astronomy-interested tourist market and a destination of choice for national and international travelers. In addition to these special destinations famous for the last 60 years, soon several new attractions will be added to the list of must-see Arizona locations, in Flagstaff, Fountain Hills, and Kitt Peak.
Arizona residents like m are so lucky to be able to see a myriad of stars that are unavailable to others. The aesthetic beauty and wonder of a natural night sky is a shared heritage of all humankind, yet 99% of the people in the United States do not have regular access to appreciate this beauty.
Arizona hosts 10% of the world’s largest telescopes, and these multi-billion-dollar facilities and programs are, unfortunately, increasingly being hindered by light pollution. Scientific research shows that excess and improperly directed outdoor lighting actually reduces our safety and security as well as making it harder for astronomers. Wildlife needs the night, and the cycles of natural light and dark fuel our own circadian rhythms. To do your part to help, it is not necessary to turn all outdoor lights off, but just to make sure the lights are shining downward, with covers preventing light from escaping upwards (similar to the approved street lights in Dark Sky communities). This prevents glare and actually improves our ground vision. We enjoy starry night skies and hope everyone helps preserve them.
- Meteor Crater and Barringer Space Museum – In addition to the best observed meteorite-created crater on Earth, the Space Museum provides a fun and informative exhibit about space exploration.
- Lowell Observatory – Perhaps the oldest observatory in Arizona, famous for the erroneous belief that Mars had canals, and for the discovery of what was once thought to be planet – but now we know betterr: Pluto.
- Astronomy Discovery Center – Although Lowell Observatory already has world-class programs for visitors with its exhibits and telescope viewing, the new Astronomy Discovery Center at Lowell Observatory, opening in November, 2024, will provide even better opportunities, with exhibits, a theater, and an amazing open-to-the-night-sky “planetarium” that substitutes the ACTUAL night sky for the artificial ones at most planetariums!
- Lowell Observatory’s Astronomy Discovery Center to open in November 2024 – A new multi-level facility at the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona, will feature an outdoor planetarium, an immersive theater, a children’s exhibit hall, a Stardust Lab, a café, and more. Each section of the ADC is designed with the intention of inspiring awe, wonder, and open-mindedness.
- Flagstaff Dark Skies Coalition – Setting the Gold Standard for night sky protection by demonstrate by example strategies that are proven to protect and improve dark skies.
- International Dark Sky Discovery Center – Fountain Hills, Arizona, will offer a world centerpiece for inspiring future scientists and people of all ages to understand how important dark skies are for the well-being of humans, plants, and animals, and for opening a window to the observable universe. Groundbreaking was April 8, 2024.
- Steward Observatory – University of Arizona (Tucson) offers a panoply of programs for the general public, including the Flandrau Science Center, the Mt. Lemmon Sky Center, Astronomy Camp, a public evening lecture series, and more.
More Places in southern Arizona to discover the Universe:
Richard F. Caris Mirror Laboratory
The Richard F. Caris Mirror Laboratory, located under Arizona Stadium, now offers tours to the public. This tour will provide visitors with a behind the scenes look at cutting-edge optical technology and the revolutionary spin-casting processes that are involved in making giant telescope mirrors, from construction of the mold, to spin casting, grinding and polishing.Mt. Lemmon Sky Center
The Mt. Lemmon SkyCenter, located just north of Tucson on the summit of Mt. Lemmon, is a unique science learning center. Check their website for information about tours of their facility.Mt. Hopkins – Fred Whipple Observatory
Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory Visitors Center features displays and exhibits on astronomy and astrophysics, natural science, and cultural history. It is 56 kilometers (35 miles) south of Tucson and just within the boundary of the Coronado National Forest at the base of Mt. Hopkins in the Santa Rita Mountains. Mount Hopkins is located off Interstate-19 north of Tubac, but south of Green Valley.Mt. Graham International Observatory
The Mount Graham International Observatory, operated by Steward Observatory at the University of Arizona consists of three telescopes: the 1.8-meter Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope (VATT), the 10-meter Heinrich Hertz Submillimeter (Radio) Telescope, and the 8.4-m x 2 Large Binocular Telescope, the world’s most powerful telescope. Public tours are conducted by reservations, beginning about mid May through early November, weather permitting. For information and reservations, please contact Discovery Park in Safford. Mt. Graham is about two-hours drive east of Tucson
Kitt Peak National Observatory
Kitt Peak National Observatory (KPNO) is the largest and most diverse collection of research telescopes in any one place in the world. Kitt Peak hosts the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) and many other telescopes operated by a consortia of universities. Three of the nearly two dozen active telescopes on Kitt Peak are dedicated solely to public viewing in its world-renowned nightly stargazing programs. Daytime tours are offered along with a world-class visitor center, and the Windows on the Universe Center for Astronomy Outreach, coming soon, to be located where the largest solar telescope in the world thrived for many decades (decommissioned in 2017).
We are Passengers on a Little Spaceship
It is not enough to be Earth-patriots. As humanity explores our Moon, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn and the rest of the Solar System, we increasingly must understand the truth of Adlai Stevenson’s recognition that we are “passengers on a little spaceship.”
From the perspective of the solar system, we must all be environmentalists. The Hubble Space Telescope (and now the James Webb Space Telescope) is presenting pictures to us that ought to change our planet’s culture as much as the Apollo pictures of the Earth first did in the late 1960’s. And, as Alexander Skutch said, “Often a loyal citizen can do most for his country by giving his home town or county the benefit of his energy. Similarly, we can best demonstrate our cosmic loyalty by serving our home planet.”
Another primary adjustment we must begin taking is a “deep time” perspective of our planet and our universe. Taking a deep time perspective alters everything we do – and makes us realize that we must plan and live to protect the future, not just be contemporary consumers of our planet.