Member-only story
On Star-Gazing
And reflecting on the things that really matter.
I have been eager to revisit something that I used to do more often, which is getting outside at night to view the Perseids meteor shower. Every year from mid-July to mid-August, the earth passes through a trail of debris left behind by the Swift-Tuttle comet. The bits of debris create fiery, colourful streaks in the sky as they collide with the earth’s atmosphere. It makes for some natural fireworks and is really enjoyable to watch if you can get away from light pollution to maximize visibility.
The peak period for viewing this natural phenomenon was last night. The weather was cooperative, so I set my alarm for just before 3 AM to head outside to watch the show.
My wife and I put on pants and sweaters, grabbed a blanket, and went outside to the beach along the Ottawa River that is our back yard. We spread the blanket on our picnic table and snuggled up against each other, enjoying the multitude of stars lighting up the night sky. We could even see Mars.
There was the sound of waves lightly washing into shore, and a few crickets were playing their symphony for us. It was great to relax in nature and just be, without any of the busyness of life. Other than the frequent meteors streaking across our field of vision, there was nothing but calm and silence.
