September 2023
By Richard Fleming
Photo by Richard Fleming
Uncommon celestial events have always entranced me. I still remember watching the spectacular Leonid meteor shower with my good friend Mark in 1966. Around 9:00 p.m. we drove ten miles north of Topeka, parked on an old country road surrounded by farmland, and lay on the front hood of his Ford Fairlane, drinking 3.2 beer and watching dozens of meteors shower down from high above. It was awe-inspiring.
And the arrival of Halley’s Comet in 1986 has stuck with me. Despite Halley’s famous reputation, its beauty was subtle. Halley offered only a soft smudge in the night sky. Though the comet was moving at 122,000 miles per hour, it was visible for multiple nights that spring. At the time, I was 34 years old and did not fully appreciate the fact it wouldn’t appear again until 2061.
Over the years I have seen many astronomical displays like these. Curiously, as I grow older, I find them more amazing. The passage of so many years, and so many decades, has deepened my appreciation of the mystical beauty offered by our cosmos. And I can experience the magic by simply looking up into the night sky.
Seeing meteor showers, or comets speeding slowly through the sky, or a group of planets aligning, or even the common lunar eclipse makes me feel both humble and fortunate. The universe is so vast, so mysterious, and so wonderful. I am but a tiny, inconsequential part of it. This feels very humbling. At the same time, I am alive today and able to witness amazing astronomical events which have been viewed by so many others over tens of thousands of years. And so I also feel fortunate.
These reflections may explain why I was excited to witness the Super Blue Moon on August 30. Standing with my wife in our backyard as the sky darkened, gazing upwards through tree branches at the massive glowing orb, I felt a sense of calm and wonder. But I also felt wistful. The next Super Blue Moon won’t come until 2037. I could not help but wonder whether I would be around to see it. And if so, would I be viewing it from the same backyard? When that moon appears, I would be 86 years old. I feel hopeful. But I can’t feel confident.
Even on nights when there are no unusual displays, I like to sit under the canopy of a darkening sky. As azure turns to black, I gaze upwards and reflect on my life. My road to this point has had so many twists and turns. I have lived through numerous unusual and sometimes startling experiences, as well as many run-of-the-mill events. And yet I’ve not lived through nearly enough. I want much more, and sometimes feel anxious about how long my voyage will continue and where it will take me.
But who can say what the future holds?
So I was grateful to take a short break from my journey on that late August evening. I was privileged to be able to look up and view an uncommon and amazing full moon, traveling on its graceful path through time and space. As the heavens darkened, the enormous yellow globe seemed to say I should appreciate my life the way it is today. I felt the sky was telling me not to dwell on rethinking the past, and not to try anticipating the future. It gently advised me that genuine beauty and true peace are found in the here and now.
I am still struggling to fully embrace this lesson. Fortunately nature is my patient tutor.
Photo courtesy of Vincentiu Solomon
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A cosmic life lesson!
A normal night sky, where there is no pollution, leads us to be in awe of the beauty of the natural world. Even more remarkable are unusual events like the Super Blue Moon and Haleys comet. Equally remarkable is the comment about nature in Psalms 19 verse one; the heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. The rest of that psalm is equally beautiful. Your posts bring quiet contentment that I have been privileged to age with you.
Thanks Richard, I enjoyed this.
Wonderful observations Richard. I’ve been enjoying the moon in it’s not quite full form after and the day before the big event. It’s been a wonderful moon.
“As the heavens darkened, the enormous yellow globe seemed to say I should appreciate my life the way it is today. I felt the sky was telling me not to dwell on rethinking the past, and not to try anticipating the future. It gently advised me that genuine beauty and true peace are found in the here and now.”
Particularly beautiful words in a beautiful post, Richard.
The Leonid meteor shower, yes, spectacular it is. About twenty years ago, when my youngest daughter was 15, we got up at 1 AM for lay on the chaise lounges in the backyard and watched the show.
David Crawford
Beautifully expressed. Calming impact.
Thanks Richard! Your thoughts put into the written language is absolutely beautiful. I have always enjoyed nature for each and every form it has to offer and I never take it for granted and your words made me feel even more in awe. For me, Heaven is on Earth with all its nature: oceans, lakes, forest, flowers and the birds and the bees. Even Fire is beautiful if it is contained in a fireplace or camp fires. I too am inspired by the night skies. It is mind blowing how old our planets and stars are in the Universe. Over a billion years old and it took that long for our Earth to be as stunning and wonderful as it is and I truly think some people forget that or don’t care. As human beings, it is so important to cherish the moment and we need to take care of our great existence for now and for the future of everyone and everything,
Bobby, I could not agree more.
Dr Fleming,
Thank you for your thoughtful and beautiful perspective. You help me more than you know as I navigate this new life called retirement and try to adapt.