I left work about 9:00pm on Saturday night. My last late night program for the season. Minutes after I left, I got a phone call from a friend/co-worker. She was heading to a party and wanted me to remind her where the Summer Triangle was so she could point it out to others.
I happily pull over, and she does the same, and stand in front of my car so I don't get smashed by other oncoming vehicles. I'm sure I looked a bit odd, standing in my car's headlights with my head cranked back looking at the sky, talking on my phone.
Me: "Ok, are you facing east?"
K: "East, ok, yep"
Me: "Now, look straight overhead and a little back. See that bright star? That's Vega, and part of the Summer Triangle."
K: "Oh, there it is!"
Me: "Now look down and to the left just a bit, and you'll Deneb in Cygnus the Swan"
(after a little more clarification..)
K: "Got it! So where is Altair?"
And on we go from Altair in Aquilla, to the Big and Little Dipper, Draco the Dragon, Sagittarius (the Tea Pot), Jupiter, and then back to the Summer Triangle to make sure it's all clear.
20 minutes later, we both jump back into our cars, miles apart, and I feel thrilled for having just spent a few fun minutes sharing the beauties of the sky with a good friend.
6 comments:
dude you so are going to have to point out those stars to me someday while hanging at the lake :D
The combination of cell phone technology and the stars, which were the directions our ancestors steered by. I would have enjoyed that party!
You are really really awesome. I just loved reading that.
It was a cool feeling. Connecting through the modern ease of cell phones, and through the ancient permanence of the past.
I love stars. Whenever I go to the cabin I love to look up at all of them. Yeah!!
I LOVE this post. I'm going to Stumble it. Next time will you call me too?
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