Granite Cliff Studio

I think it began when I was young and we used to take field trips to the planetarium. We would be mesmerized by the night sky that was inside an auditorium. Then a cartoon Superman or an alien would soar through the presentation and the class would giggle. This was the introduction to the universe and all it had to offer. Growing up in Wisconsin does offer great opportunities to see a night sky sans light pollution. In fact, Williams Bay, which was only about an hour away from where I grew up is home to the largest refracting telescope and was coined the birthplace of astrophysics.

Since these early days, I have been lucky to live in some of the darkest places in the world; Alaska, Hawaii, the Grand Canyon and Wyoming. I remember camping as a child and seeing bright constellations in the sky. I think we are all connected to a few or we have our favorites. Our signs are in the stars and we are destined with horoscopes through the universe. When we look up, even if we only see one star, it creates a humbling experience. That one star could be a whole galaxy or could provide life for infinite beings. In the uncertainty, it brings us hope and fuels our imaginations.

The last few years with the advancement of cameras, especially phones, stargazing and astrophotography have become very popular. This is a great thing and as a human race we can discover. Neowise comet captivated audiences worldwide in 2020. Geminids and the Star of Bethlehem (Jupiter and Saturn being so close) this year, were attractions for sky enthusiasts. Here is a mo’olelo about a feeling:

Walking through a forest at night alone guided by moonlight gives me a true sense of connection to the world. Seeing shadows and hearing strange sounds makes my heartbeat intense and adrenaline takes over. The strange feeling of something watching from around the corner or the sky feels strangely like a scary scene in a horror movie. I imagine a mountain lion stalking me for some reason. But when I get to my destination and setup for a photo, hit the shutter-release and wait for a long exposure, it feels like like I am teleporting into the universe above. I become a part of the Milky Way and nothing can harm me anymore because I am in space. Click, the photo is over and again I am paranoid of my surroundings. Maybe Bigfoot wandered into the area or an owl is about to swoop. The night becomes strange with shadows and motion. A breeze on the back of the neck feels like a ghost maybe following me. Again, I hit the shutter and again nothing can get me, I am now floating around the moon looking at every crater. Space is a sanctuary. It allows me to be a kid again with no worries. There is no stress, there is no heat, there is no negativity, only the stars and the planets.

Thank you again for allowing me to share. I hope you get out there and discover. It may feel like daytime is safer but I guarantee the night time is much more peaceful.