The creatures in the sky

I believe that everyone should know something about the night sky. Whether it be as simple as being able to recognize one constellation, or as complex as knowing all 88 of them, looking up at the sky changes something in you. For me, stargazing never fails to overcome me with this immense feeling of humbleness and hopefulness. I think it’s a matter of not only knowing our place in the universe but also understanding that we’re literally as small as a single grain of sand.

I became interested in stargazing a little over one year ago when I discovered the song “Cassiopeia” by Sara Bareilles. “Cassiopeia” is arguably one of the most well-known constellations, as well as the Queen of Ethiopia in Greek mythology. I remember the first time I was able to spot the infamous W shape of her in the sky and being absolutely speechless. Speechless at the fact that I was looking at the same patterns that Galileo or Edwin Hubble were once looking at. I was undeniably frazzled that I had found a creature with a name amidst the black that I had never thought to look into.

I had this same feeling when I stumbled across the constellation of my sun sign for the first time, Leo the lion. I had to wait a few months until I would be able to see it since certain constellations are only visible during specific months of the year due to the position of Earth. So during those few months of waiting I looked at countless pictures of the shape as if it were a celebrity I admired. Eventually, I finally spotted Leo from my backyard resting above my house, and it was as if I was meeting that celebrity in person, and I cannot explain that feeling in words.

Unfortunately, Stevens isn’t the most ideal location for stargazing since the bright city lights of Manhattan outshine almost all of the stars. On the other hand, it’s really great for beginner stargazers — constellations stand right out as opposed to having to search for them among a sea of stars.

By now I’ve gotten familiar with the winter sky, so although I don’t have to search for the constellations anymore, occasionally I’ll stop and look up. Waking through campus at night and looking up to see Orion staring back at me is a certain comforting feeling that I can’t quite describe. Knowing that they’ll be there and the repetition of them is particularly grounding, and I encourage everyone to brace the cold and take a minute to look up.