Liz_9000
member
Reged: 07/07/09
Posts: 19
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What really intrigues me about the universe is that there could be and most likely is intelligent life out there. Actually, there is no way Earth is the only planet in our universe that is hospitable for life...look at all those stars!! But anyway, what I was specifically thinking of recently was that when those beings look up at the sky at night they see a totally different scene going on. The possibility of life existing elsewhere in the universe is an amazing concept that inspires me to do astronomy... what about you? Can you describe in words how you feel when you look up at the night sky? I feel peaceful... is the best way I can describe how I feel and the feeling never gets old. 
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Within each of us there is
a silence as vast as the universe.
We long for it.
We can return to it.
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aa5te
Genial Procrastinator
Reged: 08/30/08
Posts: 624
Loc: Clinton, TN
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Hi Liz,
I agree with your post.
Quote:
The possibility of life existing elsewhere in the universe is an amazing concept that inspires me to do astronomy... what about you? Can you describe in words how you feel when you look up at the night sky?
This is basically the same thing that inspires me as well; I'm not much of a planet observer as I am a cluster/DSO observer.
It's actually rather odd - I was into astronomy a little bit when I was around 7-11 years old (somewhere in that time frame, but just for a brief while), then, after a 2 decade hiatus, all of the sudden last summer, blam! - I'm in it head over heels for some reason. It's just kind of like I woke up one day and had a very keen interest in it.
How I feel when I look up into the heavens:
Excited and extremely interested - for the possibility of life out there
Angered/Upset - by light pollution and by feeling that we should already be doing just a little something more in space
Sad - for those who can't see the stars due to health or light pollution
Peaceful - the problems of life just sort of melt away
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Shane
Binos: Apogee 25x100 / Burgess Optical 25x100 / Pentax 20x60 PCF WP / Tasco InFocus 10x50
Refractors: Meade DS-2102AT-TC 102mm f/7.8; Sears Discoverer 3 (4454) 80mm f/15; Jason 313 Discoverer 60mm f/15.2
Hardin Optical DSH10 10" f/5 dob
Zhumell & Celestron 8-24mm zooms; 6.4-40mm Plössls; Speers-Waler II 9.4mm; Agena 30mm UWA; Zhumell 1.25" & Knight Owl 2" 2x barlows
Kodak Z760; Orion SteadyPix mount; Orion LaserMate Deluxe; Sunpak Platinum Plus Ultra 7500TM/Quickset Samson tripods
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hwhall
sage
Reged: 09/22/08
Posts: 266
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Sometimes, it goves me goosebumps!
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Mister T
professor emeritus
Reged: 02/01/08
Posts: 572
Loc: Upstate NY
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I had somewhat of the same experience as you.
when I was 8 or 9 I was an Astronomy EXPERT!!!
but lifes many distractions pushed it into the background clutter.
40 years later I saw Niel deGrasse Tyson on the Daily Show and it all came back!!!
Now I can't get enough of the sites and the science.
as to Liz's Q:
I look out there and think (hope) that there is a less screwed up planet out there  
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Tony
"After the Laws of Physics, everything else is opinion"
-Neil deGrasse Tyson
Zhumell Classic 10" Dob
Televue 2x Barlow
8mm hyperion and rings
Oberwerk 11x70 Binoc
old camera tripod
mags and books
Meade 60mm refractor
Whatever Santa brings me for X-mas
Elmira-Corning Astronomical Society,
http://www.corning-cc.edu/visitors/observatory
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d1anderson
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 10/11/07
Posts: 762
Loc: 33.8N 98.5W
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Quote:
I look out there and think (hope) that there is a less screwed up planet out there
I think so. I have a hard time believing this is the best the universe can come up with.
Although this ain't bad at all. It could be worse.
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Clear Skies
Dewayne
-------
Z12 dob
MEADE DS2130AT NEWT 494goto
MEADE NG60 REFRACTOR
The more you look the more you'll see! 
Don't forget to register at www.scopebuddies.com
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Matthew Ota
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 04/30/05
Posts: 1237
Loc: Los Angeles, California
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This image I compiled a few years ago says it all...
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Matthew Ota
Meade LX250GPS 10 inch SCT (Frankenscope)
Orion ED 80
Coronado Helios 1 H-alpha
TheSky 6 Pro
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b1gred
Enginerd
Reged: 04/01/04
Posts: 16287
Loc: Castle Rock, CO 6677' MSL
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Insignificant.
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"Dark Skies & Great Viewing"
RandyR / W0RDR
GPS 9.25 XLT/Sky Align /FeatherTouch
TV85 w/FeatherTouch
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Doug D.
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 08/23/05
Posts: 2058
Loc: Virginia
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Comforted.
(unless the mosquitoes are out in force)
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Hooville
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alanon
Nobody tells me anything
Reged: 06/29/07
Posts: 3138
Loc: Las Vegas
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The sheer immensity of space makes me (or at least my troubles) seem so minor. Yet at the very same time, there is this feeling that I may be the universe's way of looking back at itself. That makes be feel like an amazingly large part of the grand scheme.
Edited by alanon (11/16/09 01:19 AM)
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astrotrf
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 09/30/07
Posts: 950
Loc: Rodeo, NM
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Wow, you guys are a lot more philosophical and "cosmic" than I am. All I feel when I look at the night sky is a longing to be able to travel out there to see all of the fantastic sights.
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Terry (astrotrf)
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Jay_Bird
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 01/04/06
Posts: 1038
Loc: Nevada 36N 115W
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At peace, free from daily cares, with my unaided or telescopic gaze met by an even and benign reply from the calm, intelligent beauty above.
The moon's cycle is a friendly sight on neighborhood walks. The planets and the return of constellations are seasonal visits from old friends. The phenomena of the daytime sky and the nighttime show of meteors, satellites or features lit just so on the moon are nice surprises in the midst of the reliable cycles.
The sky offers a glimpse of deep space scale as great as the deep time we can see in earth's rocks, and now see thanks to robot explorers on many other moons and planets in our solar system too.
All of this can be directly spiritual (as it seems to connect to religious belief with many here) or less directly provide a sense of immensity as a mystical experience of nature.
There is a connection with the cultural past too, from the constellation tales conjuring up myths; and the star names bringing up stargazers of the past.
There are many books, like St. Exupery's 'Wind Sand and Stars', that capture some of these feelings well.
Sharing any of this makes the experience even better. I enjoy 'quick looks' whether alone or with family members but I much prefer extended star parties to have a strong outreach element.
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'these things stand like stone - kindness in another's troubles, courage in your own' Gordon
C-8, Nighthawk, C-90; Binoculars 6-16x21-80mm; Paragon p-mount
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aa5te
Genial Procrastinator
Reged: 08/30/08
Posts: 624
Loc: Clinton, TN
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Me too, me too. Most of my thought processes centered around astronomy actually concerns thoughts such as this.
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InkDark
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 10/29/07
Posts: 2029
Loc: Montreal, Canada
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A few days ago I started a thread with a similar subject.
What boggles your mind while observing?
"Wonder" is what astronomy is all about.
It is nice to have so many questions unanswered 'cause it makes life more intriguing, but it is also frustrating.
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Jimmy
If you could stop time, for how long would you stop it?
"...since that time, I have not complained about the weather one single time. I’m glad there is weather." – Alan Bean, Apollo 12
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Liz_9000
member
Reged: 07/07/09
Posts: 19
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Quote:
Hi Liz,
I agree with your post.
Quote:
The possibility of life existing elsewhere in the universe is an amazing concept that inspires me to do astronomy... what about you? Can you describe in words how you feel when you look up at the night sky?
This is basically the same thing that inspires me as well; I'm not much of a planet observer as I am a cluster/DSO observer.
It's actually rather odd - I was into astronomy a little bit when I was around 7-11 years old (somewhere in that time frame, but just for a brief while), then, after a 2 decade hiatus, all of the sudden last summer, blam! - I'm in it head over heels for some reason. It's just kind of like I woke up one day and had a very keen interest in it.
How I feel when I look up into the heavens:
Excited and extremely interested - for the possibility of life out there
Angered/Upset - by light pollution and by feeling that we should already be doing just a little something more in space
Sad - for those who can't see the stars due to health or light pollution
Peaceful - the problems of life just sort of melt away
YES! You explained really nicely your feelings and also reminded me of similar ones I've felt as well. I especially feel sad and upset that there's so much light pollution!! It's a shame...  I like your story, and I believe that if there wasn't so much light pollution a lot more kiddies would be curious about the stars in the sky and their curiosity might rub off on their parents or vice versa.
I think I went through the same thing as you when I was like 5-7.. I was really into exploring my surroundings, riding bikes and looking up at the stars.. and I just really loved being outside at night. There's a mysterious, a calming yet eerie feeling about the night.
--------------------
Within each of us there is
a silence as vast as the universe.
We long for it.
We can return to it.
|
Liz_9000
member
Reged: 07/07/09
Posts: 19
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|
Quote:
Quote:
I look out there and think (hope) that there is a less screwed up planet out there
I think so. I have a hard time believing this is the best the universe can come up with.
Although this ain't bad at all. It could be worse.
Yes, I agree. On another planet there could be suffering a million times worse than the suffering human beings have experienced. Their history could be a lot longer than ours too. It's fun to think about all the possibilities of what a planet looks like, how big it is, the creatures that live on it, what they look like, how do they communicate... etc. Could one of those beings be looking at our star, the sun and wonder if there's life somewhere near it? Really reminds me of Star Trek 
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Within each of us there is
a silence as vast as the universe.
We long for it.
We can return to it.
|
Liz_9000
member
Reged: 07/07/09
Posts: 19
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Quote:
This image I compiled a few years ago says it all...
I love it, it's beautiful...thank you for sharing 
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Within each of us there is
a silence as vast as the universe.
We long for it.
We can return to it.
|
Liz_9000
member
Reged: 07/07/09
Posts: 19
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|
Quote:
Wow, you guys are a lot more philosophical and "cosmic" than I am. All I feel when I look at the night sky is a longing to be able to travel out there to see all of the fantastic sights.
That's definitely how everyone else feels too! It's an adventure even if it's just in your dreams and back yard, right? 
--------------------
Within each of us there is
a silence as vast as the universe.
We long for it.
We can return to it.
|
Liz_9000
member
Reged: 07/07/09
Posts: 19
|
|
Quote:
At peace, free from daily cares, with my unaided or telescopic gaze met by an even and benign reply from the calm, intelligent beauty above.
The moon's cycle is a friendly sight on neighborhood walks. The planets and the return of constellations are seasonal visits from old friends. The phenomena of the daytime sky and the nighttime show of meteors, satellites or features lit just so on the moon are nice surprises in the midst of the reliable cycles.
The sky offers a glimpse of deep space scale as great as the deep time we can see in earth's rocks, and now see thanks to robot explorers on many other moons and planets in our solar system too.
All of this can be directly spiritual (as it seems to connect to religious belief with many here) or less directly provide a sense of immensity as a mystical experience of nature.
There is a connection with the cultural past too, from the constellation tales conjuring up myths; and the star names bringing up stargazers of the past.
There are many books, like St. Exupery's 'Wind Sand and Stars', that capture some of these feelings well.
Sharing any of this makes the experience even better. I enjoy 'quick looks' whether alone or with family members but I much prefer extended star parties to have a strong outreach element.
I enjoyed reading your reply and all I can say is: YES! *nods in satisfaction*
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Within each of us there is
a silence as vast as the universe.
We long for it.
We can return to it.
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Shadowalker
Unilateral Space Dictator again
Reged: 11/23/04
Posts: 5031
Loc: Poplarville, MS, USA
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All of my equipment is put away as we finish moving from one house to another. But we are fortunate to live at a truly dark site. Every clear night I go to feed the animals at the barn with a blaze of stars in the sky. I think I get as much enjoyment out of watching the sky with my unaided eyes as I did with all my scopes and cameras.
Thanks for posting here, Liz, and welcome to Cloudy Nights.
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Tom Nicolaides
http://www.first-light.org
One test result is worth one thousand expert opinions.
— Wernher von Braun
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Liz_9000
member
Reged: 07/07/09
Posts: 19
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Quote:
A few days ago I started a thread with a similar subject.
What boggles your mind while observing?
"Wonder" is what astronomy is all about.
It is nice to have so many questions unanswered 'cause it makes life more intriguing, but it is also frustrating.
Awesome! Thanks for the link, I'll check it out. Wonder...I think that's what we live for... to take risks, to experience life and all it's wonders... we love to dream and explore... and gain knowledge about things.
It's not when or where we end up, but what we experienced and the memories we've shared with others along the way that truly matters!
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Within each of us there is
a silence as vast as the universe.
We long for it.
We can return to it.
|
Liz_9000
member
Reged: 07/07/09
Posts: 19
|
|
Quote:
All of my equipment is put away as we finish moving from one house to another. But we are fortunate to live at a truly dark site. Every clear night I go to feed the animals at the barn with a blaze of stars in the sky. I think I get as much enjoyment out of watching the sky with my unaided eyes as I did with all my scopes and cameras.
Thanks for posting here, Liz, and welcome to Cloudy Nights.
Thank you Sounds amazing...being able to see everything so well without all that light pollution! I love to look at the stars without any equipment and like you, I also enjoy it with my naked eye just as much as looking through a telescope or binoculars. When I wanna go out quickly or just want to relax and take it easy I'll use binoculars hehe.
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Within each of us there is
a silence as vast as the universe.
We long for it.
We can return to it.
|
Pedestal
Post Laureate
Reged: 03/11/06
Posts: 3995
Loc: Smoggy Bottom, Baytown,Texas
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Frustratred. I've wanted to go "out there" as long as I can remember.
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Hubert
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www.smoggybottom.org
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Skip
Starlifter Driver
Reged: 01/23/08
Posts: 1571
Loc: San Antonio, Texas, USA
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We are limited by language here, but I guess "awe" and "wonder" come closest for me.
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Skip
Celestron NexStar 6SE (Small Caliber)
Orion SkyQuest XT10i Intelliscope (Howitzer)
2 25mm Plossls; 24mm & 13mm Hyperions; 10mm Plossl; 6mm BO/TMB; 2X Barlow; 8-24mm Hyperion zoom
Telrad + 4" Riser
7Ah PowerTank
Starbound Observing Chair
Eagle Eye Observatory, Texas -
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star drop
Guilty as Charged
Reged: 02/02/08
Posts: 18646
Loc: Snow Plop, WNY
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I feel curiosity and excitement when I look up at the night sky.
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Ted
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Mike Casey
Reged: 11/11/04
Posts: 6344
Loc: Hotel Catalina
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As I look up, I cannot but wonder how many eyes are looking back at me.
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Mike (tVA)
“Every victory should be celebrated as a wake”. ~ Lao-tzu
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