Where can you see the stars? Well, other than everywhere (on a clear night), here are some unique places to check out various phenomena. As a side note, they're also pretty to look at:
Newgrange, Ireland. An excessively impressive mound with a chamber that's completely
illuminated at the winter solstice. Built ~3200BC
(yes, before Stonehenge! and check out the intricate patters in the stones)
Jantar Mantar, (west central) India
Geometric buildings that are actually tools for making astronomical observations, built between 1727-173
I really enjoy this image of Stonehenge because it reflects the magnitude of this site. They built these massive structures to predict the immeasurable heavens. It looks so purposeful, and yet compared to our (or at least my) first mental picture of the site, so small in comparison to its surroundings. It is that small, and can predict things so incredibly far away! Just try and tell me that's not amazing.
If you have $500-1600 left over after your trips to Ireland, England, and India... find yourself a copy of The Wonders of the Heavens, Being a Popular View of Astronomy by Duncan Bradford, published 1837. It includes this lovely constellation map.
What would a post be without some glorious etsy finds? I promise, there are only a few this week:
First, a vintage find from La Petit Poulailler: I love this! The lovely shade of blue with the orange spheres and diagrams is incredibly visually pleasing and soothing. It's the perfect match of complementary colors, simple lines, and basic shapes.
And yes, another vintage find, and from another French-titled shop! This one's from La Brocanterie and it's also rocking the complementary color scheme. It's an adorable children's book that helps your kids find the constellations and their names, complete with jingles to aid in the memorization process... sing them with your kids next time you go camping! (or on a long walk or pretend-camping in the backyard... who doesn't love stars and s'mores?)
If this list has inspired you to look up more often, check out this site and it'll show you what can be found above your head this week. So, leave some comments about star gazing, solar system lovin', or complaints about no-longer-a-planet Pluto. Or about things I've left out of the list that shouldn't have been left out!
i love this--"I've been doing some amateur observing lately, of the astronomical persuasion. It's been fascinating to watch the moon change phases, to look for Venus, and to watch the sun set."
ReplyDeleteisn't it humbling to watch? i think too often we forget how small we are, and even the fact that we're surrounded by all these celestial objects. i still get the chills i think when i see jupiter.