Thoughts on discovering the moon (original photography and narrative)
“I don’t know....”
Tonight was the first time I’ve ever looked at the night sky through a telescope. I’m 34 years old.
I was outside to put away the roto-tiller, when I looked up at the slowly darkening evening and saw a white half moon.
I immediately remembered the telescope we had found in the out building the last time that landlord had visited. I dug it out, not sure what to expect, and began to scan the sky.
When the moon came into focus—so sharp, and so clear, and so...real—the hairs on my arms stood on end.
Isaiah! Mi-chan! Come outside! Come outside!
I had rushed to the back door to call my wife and son outside. I felt like I had just discovered...the moon.
My son and I took a walk, holding hands, to see if we could find some stars that were different colors. We had the handheld field scope. He likes to tell me what the different colors mean. If a planet or star is red, it’s a fire planet. If it’s purple, it’s poison. If it’s pink, then it’s Candy Land.
After we returned, and he went inside, I was left in the now enveloping darkness of the driveway, sitting on the pavement, again looking up.
There are so many stars up there. So many not visible to the non-telescopic eye. This weird feeling of wonder and amazement—an almost horrifying, stunned bewilderment—gripped me.
“I don’t know,” were the words I heard coming softly from my own mouth.
~*~
(All photos in this post are original work.)
~KafkA
Graham Smith is a Voluntaryist activist, creator, and peaceful parent residing in Niigata City, Japan. Graham runs the "Voluntary Japan" online initiative with a presence here on Steem, as well as DLive and Twitter. (Hit me up so I can stop talking about myself in the third person!)
What an incredible moment you have described. Times like that make life worth living, and your son will remember it forever. ❤
Awesome that telescope still works, great shot!
And something about the moon today. The English words I learned this evening were "waxing gibbous moon".
Ah, that's great! Is tonight's moon really a waxing gibbous? My parents know all about that stuff, but I haven't learned--or more accurately, can't remember--what the different terms mean. So cool that was your English phrase of the day :)
Some app said so, and apps are always right ;)
You lucky guy, finding a working telescope.
And I think it is time for this again:
There’s something about the greater cosmos that touches the human soul. We see that religions - ideologies concerned with the deeper and grander aspects of human existence - are based upon celestial bodies. There’s some connection. My own study of astronomy in college was second only to philosophy in terms of broadening my perspective and inspiring a sense of awe and profundity.
Nothing beats gazing at the stars (and moon). That reminds me... I need to buy a telescope so my son can learn to appreciate the night sky.
Nice photography!!
its cool!!
what a moment!!!
very nice!!
nice photogaraphy man, i like your work.