I Miss the Stars (6)

MisterBear's profile . MisterBear's homepage

Posted by MisterBear on Sun 26 Sep 10, 12:12 PM to MisterBear's blog.

The other night I woke up thinking it was nearly time to get up. However the 3:16 on me watch, told me differently. However my bladder had got the idea that I might be getting up soon and so I had to.

Now I normally leave the lights off when going for a 3am slash as it's easier to get back to sleep. And that night was no different. However looking out the window, or rather at the window as it's frosted it looked very white outside. So stopping off at the kitchen window I had a look out side, almost expecting snow.

The ground, however, was clear. But the light was strange, it was bright but in a pale way. I couldn't see the moon as it was around the front but I guessed it must have been very bright to cast such a light. And when I checked from my bedroom later it was.

So as I looked out on the moonlight drenched garden, I looked up to the sky and could clearly see some of the brighter stars. Orion was hanging out, low in the southern skies. A few more stars sparkled around, but it wasn't clear which they were. However the brightness of the moon and the usual light pollution hid the rest from sight and ruined what would have been a beautiful view. And so I returned to bed and had a quick look out from at the moon. The odd star was visible, but with a street light nearby anything else was lost.

Where I currently live there is too much light pollution and I tend to have the curtain shut and or nets in the way and so I don't really get to star gaze any more, not that I used to do lots. But at the last place I lived, I'd get home some nights after going to Nemesis II or elsewhere and as I got out of the car I'd look up to see the night sky and all the stars twinkling away and sigh in a happy sad kind of way. Or there were times on Holiday up in Bamburgh when we were camping away from any major light sources and could just look up and see more stars than you could take in. I think there was one time when we were there during the Perseids and the sky was alive with shooting stars. And even at other times you'd get the odd one.

But now I don't go out late at night much, and when I do get home there isn't much to see. I should really find somewhere quiet just off a motor way where I can pull over and look up at the skies on one of them beautiful clear nights. But then part of me would want to stay there forever and another part (usually my nose as clear nights tend to happen more when it's cold) of me would want to fill up and then leave before I get too sad/cold/desperate to be the Last Starfighter/or kidnapped by aliens.

Replies

26 Sep 10, 1:28 PM littlenic 5 yrs	It's the Harvest Moon, the full moon nearest the autumn solstice (actually on it, this year, which is quite the rarity) - and so named because it is bright and gives lots of light in which to gather the harvest. But yes, I empathise re the light pollution and its effects on star gazing. When I go to visit relatives in the Cumbrian countryside the stars are breathtaking... rather different to my East London view. And I shall never forget when I went to Monument Valley and looked up at night, to see the Milky Way. It had never occurred to me that it would be visible with the naked eye, and it is something I hope to see again before long. (Ideally in the same place!)
26 Sep 10, 3:06 PM Miss_Dee UK(L), 5 yrs	Best place I ever saw the stars was from the Park Güell in Barcelona in early December...... Miss D Creasy's art is death, and he is about to paint his masterpiece Edited 26 Sep 10, 6:14 PM by Miss_Dee
26 Sep 10, 4:06 PM CookieMonster UK, 6 yrs	I agree, very bright last night. Saw plenty of stars though.
26 Sep 10, 6:13 PM Plein_Soleil UK(NP), 2 yrs	The stars from the Australian outback are breathtaking - no light pollution . " Yeah . Well I love my cigar but I take it out once in a while " Groucho Marx
26 Sep 10, 7:42 PM scousebabe UK(L), 9 yrs	Turkey when the moon and stars looked red, it was like being in a dream. scousebabe
26 Sep 10, 9:11 PM xXx_scarlet_xXx UK, 4 yrs	I miss the stars too, in Cumbria on a dark, dark night. "Starry, starry night, paint your castle blue and grey." (º•.¸(¨•.¸¸.•¨)¸.•º) «.•°•. Scarlet .•°•.» (¸.•º(¸.•¨**¨•.¸)º•.¸)