Technology and the general business of daily life does tend to take us away from nature and the world around us. This is why, now and again, looking up at the sky at night stops us in our tracks and forces us to think about the scope of everything around us. Looking up into the night sky is not just a past-time, it’s a full-on science. Astronomy has humbled us and taught us much of what we know about our origins and the origins of life itself.
Sadly, many people today have lost access to the night sky, especially in big cities, where light pollution means it has become much more difficult to see a starry sky with the naked eye.
You Will Learn About Your Universe
And your place in it. Looking up at the stars puts things into perspective, especially when you are aware of the fact that each one of these tiny speckles is probably much, much bigger than our sun. Not only are you insignificant in comparison, but so is our entire planet and Sun. Not only that, but there are more of them in the universe than there are grains of sand on all the beaches of the planet.
It Will Humble You
Once this fact is known to you, you cannot look at the night sky and not feel a weird sensation of awe knowing that what you are looking at is gargantuan and infinite, yet, seems so small and distant from where you stand. Stargazing allows us to reconsider the place we think we occupy in this world and universe, by showing us where we stand in space and time. In the grand scheme of things, you are nothing, and because you are nothing, you should have nothing to worry about.
It’s a Free Show
If you still do worry about money, well, this time, the show is free. You might argue that it is quite predictable and hasn’t changed that much for the past few million years, but, it’s probably the most watched show of all time when you think of it. If you want to get a closer look, a telescope is a must, and you can get help in choosing the best telescope online, because that’s not a decision to make uninformed, and many telescopes simply aren’t built to last. This show is on every night, and there’s plenty of room for everyone – social distancing shouldn’t be a problem if you’re in the great outdoors!
The Stillness is Priceless
There aren’t many things in the world that will give you the same repose as staring at the stars and universe. So many people will be looking to achieve inner peace through listening to this or watching that, or going to this class, or trying this new diet. But sometimes, communion with nature and the higher realms of creation can provide a stillness, both internal and external, which cannot be found elsewhere or by any other means. Because, in truth, it is not still; it is constantly following the slow motion of the rotation of the Earth around the axis of its poles, and it is that imperceptible motion that truly captivates the gaze.
No Matter Where You Are, You Will See the Same Stars
As long as you stay in the same hemisphere. Yes, the stars are different on the other side! If people on the northern half of the globe are looking ‘upwards’ into the universe, and those on the southern hemisphere are looking ‘downwards’. That’s why the constellations are different; and sailors used different static stars or constellations to navigate. But as long as you stay on the same side of the equator, you will always see the same stars, and they will always be there to comfort you, no matter how far you are from home.
Stargazing has become an underrated activity that is becoming harder to appreciate as we crowd the night sky with neon and LEDs that hide the universe away from our sights. But the many advantages that this activity offers remain precious; for it is a practice and an experience which are ancestral and arguably predate speech. Whether it is to find our place on this planet or locate ourselves within the universe, the stars are a precious tool. And not just that, they allow us to reconsider where we stand in all of this; what our presence might mean, and whether we are alone or not as an intelligent lifeform in this universe.