Musings under a summer night sky

[Duke John]

Who hasn't done it during a clear summer night? Watching into the depths of the universe I will often find myself wondering about it. How irrelevant we are in this tiny solar system from which we can witness the birth of entire galaxies consisting of billions of stars. Yet on the other hand our blue planet is all we got which makes the rest of the universe irrelevant.

Here a few photos from the Hubble Telescope to get into the right mood:








What does your mind wander to?

p.s. please no discussion about the birth of the universe or science versus religion.

[Subedei]

Pure beauty man!!!!

I wonder what the one that kinda looks like a brain [or a butt] is?!?

Thanks for sharing....

[AntiochusIII]

That's...so...awesome!

See this is why I'd like to live forever. It ought to be fun being a part of that someday.

[Warmaster Horus]

Absolutely magnificent.

Makes me feel even more insignificant, if that's what you want.

[Husar]

I wonder why it shows us the finger in the last pic?

[Gregoshi]

I wonder what the one that kinda looks like a brain [or a butt] is?!?

That is Eta Carinae, thought to be one of the most massive stars in our galaxy - 100+ time the mass of our sun, outputs over a million time the energy as our sun...and is extremely unstable. An outburst 150 years ago made it the second brightest star in the sky. The "brain" looking gas is from its outbursts.

As to DJ's question, I haven't done much wondering in the past few years, but in earlier years I spent many a night under the stars with my telescope, binoculars or just my eyes. It always left me at peace. The stars, planets, galaxies and nebula became old friends I'd visit on clear nights. The most awe-inspiring moments came under very dark skies way from towns and cities, during the Summer, with the Milky Way a becoming more than just a faint band of light. The majesty of it does leave you feeling insignificant, but I find that feeling strangely pleasing and yearn for it again. In a little over two weeks I head to Canada and weather permitting, I'll be feeling insignificant again. I can hardly wait.

Another moment of profound wonder was when I witnessed an aurora for the first time. It was beautiful, yet in a way, terrifying to watch waves of unnatural light sweep across the sky. It was a feeling I've not experience before or since. Below is a picture I took of that aurora back in 1979 after it had settled down to become merely a ghostly green curtain waving in the (solar) wind.



The last type of sky event that gets my emotions going is seeing the space shuttle or the International Space Station going overhead. Looking up at that moving light and knowing people are up there in space makes me feel like I have some kind of special connection with those brave people. It can move me to become teary-eyed. I find myself mentally saying "hello" to them and wishing them safety upon their return as that glorious light begins to fade away into the Earth's shadow. Three to four weeks ago I was fortunate enough on two consecutive nights to see both the shuttle and the space station together traveling across the sky shortly after the shuttle undocked. The ISS was leading and the shuttle trailing behind. It was a beautiful thing to see. To see our own little step out into the huge universe has a great emotional impact on me.

Thanks for posting those beautiful pictures DJ. I hadn't seen a few of them before.

[Csargo]

Beautiful

[Banquo's Ghost]

Wonderful pictures.

Three to four weeks ago I was fortunate enough on two consecutive nights to see both the shuttle and the space station together traveling across the sky shortly after the shuttle undocked. The ISS was leading and the shuttle trailing behind. It was a beautiful thing to see. To see our own little step out into the huge universe has a great emotional impact on me.

I know exactly what you mean. I remember the astonishment and thrill I had as a youngster, looking up at the moon that one incredible July night and knowing that two men stood there. So far away, so lonely - yet so close to my dreams and future as a small boy whose world would never be the same. It inspired me to believe that anything was possible.

The night sky always reminds me of those possibilities. I never feel insignificant though. I recall one night that was so utterly clear, it seemed possible to reach out and touch the firmament. I had been walking on my mountain in the deep southern ranges of Chilean Patagonia, and the night was one of crystalline cold clarity. There were so many stars it was beyond comprehension. One's mind quailed at any attempt to make sense of the enormity, but was exhilarated by simply embracing the wonder. I felt intimately connected with the universe - not a tiny, unimportant scintilla but an enormously privileged mote of the same stardust that kindled all that awe. A mote that had been given the gift of understanding, of the consciousness that everything belonged to my moment as much as I belonged to that everything. And each one of my fellow men, be they base or exalted, have precisely that same gift.

Gazing at the universe does not make me feel insignificant but most utterly blessed - and inspired to make that blessing count in every moment given to me.

[Gregoshi]

I recall one night that was so utterly clear, it seemed possible to reach out and touch the firmament. I had been walking on my mountain in the deep southern ranges of Chilean Patagonia, and the night was one of crystalline cold clarity. There were so many stars it was beyond comprehension.

Now that is something I'd love to experience. There is a reason one of the world's greatest observatories sits atop the Chilean Andes. Where I go in Canada is nice, but not as nice as your experience BG. Oh for the chance to put several thousand feet of light killing atmosphere below me...

[Beirut]

T'is beautiful to stand on the porch, beer in hand, and gaze into eternity, trying to find your place in it, the meaning of it all, and simply realizing, "Ahh, just relax and enjoy the view."

Thanks for the thread.

[Big King Sanctaphrax]

Good stuff. The stars are one of the main reasons I love camping so much. You can't beat lying on a hillside at night, feet sore after the day's march, drinking water that tastes of purification tablets, looking up at the sky, and all with that peculiar smell of the outdoors in your nostrils.

[Subedei]

That is Eta Carinae, thought to be one of the most massive stars in our galaxy - 100+ time the mass of our sun, outputs over a million time the energy as our sun...and is extremely unstable. An outburst 150 years ago made it the second brightest star in the sky. The "brain" looking gas is from its outbursts.

Thanks a lot for the explanation. I wondered if it was an outburst. So they took a picture when it outbursted? How long would that take? Something like 2 earth years or 2 seconds? I really can´t tell....

I have only been in the desert once in my life [yet] & it is awesome to look up, even with bad eyes like mine. Makes these pictures even cooler for me!

[Duke John]

I'll also have to see the Aurora at least once. A sight you have to see with your own eyes to fully appreciate it I guess.

BG and Greg, wonderfull experiences of looking up to where the astronauts are. Thanks for sharing!

Makes me feel even more insignificant, if that's what you want.

No, especially because the universe is too big to comprehend makes it merely a backdrop of your own life. BG formulated it better:

Gazing at the universe does not make me feel insignificant but most utterly blessed - and inspired to make that blessing count in every moment given to me.

Greg, since you seem to know a few things about the universe, can you recommend a book which explains it and has more than plenty photos from the Hubble telescope?

[Moros]

I have the NASA foto thingy on my google homepage. If yu make your personalised googlepage you should try out the basa daily photo thingy. Some realy nice photograpsh. Though it doesn't show starts or planets every day I still like it quite a bit.

[Beirut]

I have the NASA foto thingy on my google homepage. If yu make your personalised googlepage you should try out the basa daily photo thingy. Some realy nice photograpsh. Though it doesn't show starts or planets every day I still like it quite a bit.

Not sure if it's the same site you're talking about, but I've had the Astronomy Picture of the Day as my homepage for as long as I can remember. Five or six years at least.

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html

[Mikeus Caesar]

Beautiful pics. Keeping on topic with his question of what does your mind wander to, my mind wanders to thoughts of time travel, and whether or not i could save my best friend from killing himself. But then my mind gets caught up with all the paradoxes and problems that would ensue from such a thing, so i end up telling myself to just shut up and enjoy the view.

[Duke Malcolm]

I prefer to muse in the rain. The stars distract me.

[Louis VI the Fat]

I remember the astonishment and thrill I had as a youngster, looking up at the moon that one incredible July night and knowing that two men stood there.

I'm so relieved that you feel this way too!
I've always felt like such a dork, such a geek, for thinking this way. To me, looking up at the moon and knowing that we put some of our own up there is immensely uplifting, romantic.

I had been walking on my mountain in the deep southern ranges of Chilean Patagonia, and the night was one of crystalline cold clarity. There were so many stars it was beyond comprehension. One's mind quailed at any attempt to make sense of the enormity, but was exhilarated by simply embracing the wonder. I felt intimately connected with the universe - not a tiny, unimportant scintilla but an enormously privileged mote of the same stardust that kindled all that awe. A mote that had been given the gift of understanding, of the consciousness that everything belonged to my moment as much as I belonged to that everything. And each one of my fellow men, be they base or exalted, have precisely that same gift.

Hmm, remind me of quote this post does:
'Life creates it, makes it grow. Its energy surrounds us and binds us. Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter. You must feel the Force around you; here, between you, me, the tree, the rock, everywhere, yes.'

[Moros]

That is Eta Carinae, thought to be one of the most massive stars in our galaxy - 100+ time the mass of our sun, outputs over a million time the energy as our sun...and is extremely unstable. An outburst 150 years ago made it the second brightest star in the sky. The "brain" looking gas is from its outbursts.

Are you sure? It looks more like a baboon from behind, really...

[drone]

I used to check out the Hubble gallery every once in a while, looks like they have moved it. Beautiful pics, available in very high res. Taxpayer dollars at work!

http://hubblesite.org/gallery/album/

[Gregoshi]

Greg, since you seem to know a few things about the universe, can you recommend a book which explains it and has more than plenty photos from the Hubble telescope?

I don't have any recommendations DJ. I have a shelf full of astronomy books but they are geared towards star charts and other things for the amateur astronomer and his telescope - astronomy geek stuff. I also haven't looked at buying any astronomy books for about 10 years now, so I'm a bit out of touch.