One of the great joys of living outside of a densely populated area is the dark skies at night, and because of those dark skies the myriad star that can be seen when those skies are not veiled by clouds. Of course, not all those “stars” are stars – some are planets (as well as occasionally comets, orbiting useful satellites, and – unfortunately as of late – mean Mr. Musk-stache’s phalanxes of space litter).
Many years ago, when I was just a boy, the night sky seemed much blacker than it does today, but the stars seemed much brighter as well. Camping one long past night at Ft. Stevens State Park, I vividly recall lying on my back with my head outside the tent, looking up at a sky […]
As mammals, we’re something of an anomaly. Most of our mammalian kindred species are well suited to, and indeed orient their lives around, the night. We humans, on the other opposable thumb equipped hand, have evolved – particularly in regard to our visual acuity – to fare much better in daylight. Therefore we have done all we can to make sure that those things that go bump in the night, as well as the more stealthy ones that don’t, aren’t concealed from us.