Introduction
I went to North Park, Burlington, North Carolina, for two consecutive days – April 24 and 25. It was difficult to determine the best day to observe the sky and avoid clouds to see the stars. I faced the problem of variable cloudiness, but still sought to capture constellations. I chose the time at 10 pm so that it was already dark enough, but still comfortable for staying in the park. While stargazing is not a new experience for me, this is the first time that I prepared for the process so thoroughly and put so much effort into reflection.
Observations
During observations, I noted several objects, and the Star Walk 2 application helped me significantly to recognize them. For example, the yellowish star turned out to be Venus, and the most familiar constellations I saw were Cassiopeia and Ursa Minor, with a bright Polar Star. Star Walk 2 also told me I had seen Camelopardalis, Cepheus, and Ursa Major. I have not observed the Milky Way, and according to Gall (2020), this is normal since the Milky Way is visible with less light pollution and better weather – it is not visible to 99% of Americans. Nevertheless, my experience was still enjoyable and conducive to thought.
Watching the stars, I also tried to observe my feelings and thoughts. For example, compared with daytime sightings, stargazing is more calming – dark colors and flickering stars do not excite the nervous system like the daytime sky. At the same time, the impression can be different for each individual – someone will feel sadness or, on the contrary, joy from observation. However, each observer can find exciting elements of the night sky – shooting stars, flying planes, changes in the color of the sky, movement, the size of the moon, and other features.
A large cosmic space and everything people can imagine also evokes various emotions and thoughts, such as the traditional sense of being small. The strongest feeling for me was the sentiment of something being extraordinary and unrealistic in the cosmos—it felt like my imagination was about to create a new fantastical world different from the real one. Therefore, the night sky inspires people and supports their imagination. Stargazing and imagining space become the impetus for creating various ideas and games of imagination.
Despite the fascination of watching the stars, spending an entire hour outside was quite problematic. The weather is one reason for the difficulties, as it is not yet warm enough for a long and comfortable time outdoors. Moreover, it is difficult to stay in one place—there is a desire for movement, but any fieldwork, especially observations, requires patience.
A significant difference from other fieldwork was the necessity to concentrate on my thoughts and feelings when observing the stars and take notes to reflect on them later. Finally, a key feature of stargazing was nighttime for observation, opening up a new perspective for fieldwork. Considering the prospect of environmental ethics, my experience has convinced me that humans can belong to nature, including stars. One way to maintain such a connection is to explore cosmic space and its mysteries. Even gazing at stars can be a manifestation of belonging to them.
Humanity and our technologies are rapidly developing; therefore, I am sure that knowledge about the cosmos and the possibilities to research it will expand significantly. At the same time, given the negative impact of humans on nature on Earth, it is essential to be more careful with both the planet and cosmic space in the future. Therefore, belonging to nature and stars also manifests in respect toward the cosmos and our world.
Conclusion
Thus, watching the stars became a valuable and insightful experience for me. The experience was calming but challenging and significantly different from other fieldwork. Although I encountered some difficulties, I managed to conduct observations and make a reflection. The fieldwork has also inspired me to various ideas for discussion, such as whether there is a benefit of stargazing for people’s mental health and what it is.
Reference
Gall, J. (2020). 7 of the best places to see the Milky Way from Earth. Men’s Journal. Web.