To the Moon and Back

It’s really hard to write about space and not rely on cliches. Whether it’s Space, the final frontier, or In space, no one can hear you scream, or To infinity and beyond!, I’m having a hard time being original, even my title has been used time and again. Go ahead, I bet you can think of five more, easy. So, I’ll save your time and mine and jump to it. It’s time to LOOK THROUGH A TELESCOPE AT THE NIGHT SKY.

The Prairie Ridge Ecostation is a small oasis of prairie and ponds and plants tucked into west Raleigh near the North Carolina Museum of Art. Lee drove and I plugged the address into Google Maps which took us to the gate of North Carolina National Guard Joint Force Headquarters. Turning around and retracing our way, we drove slowly until we saw the sign, visible but back from the road: North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, Prairie Ridge Ecostation, 1671 Gold Star Drive, not 1697 as the event posting listed.

It was time for a Star Party!

The air was thick with humidity and although the sun set at 8:32 the sky had not yet darkened by 9pm. We wandered slowly past the information tables, one about the activities (viewing the stars, as well as, a variety of kid-geared activities located down a path and in the outdoor classroom), and the other offering information about the Raleigh Astronomy Club.

Just beyond, a row of telescopes formed a line along a grassy area; each was different, varying in design, size and, I’m sure, price. The amateur astronomers of the Raleigh Astronomy Club with their high-powered equipment and their astronomical knowledge were available to us, ready to share their love of the stars. We were among the first guests and the second telescope on the line was open. The gentleman at the helm kindly offered to let us look at the moon.

Lee leaned in to take a look. He had questions, not about the moon, but about the telescope. When we moved to Oceanside, California in 2018 he bought a telescope and spent a fair amount of time looking at, and trying to photograph, the moon. I stepped up to take a look. The astronomer readjusted the telescope’s position as the moon continued to move imperceptibly across the sky. The white textured surface of the moon filled my vision. It was very cool and almost didn’t look real.

Then I thought can we go now?

As we moved along the line of telescopes, Lee chatted with the each astronomer while I tried to look interested. Like a nine-year-old at the state fair forced to walk the exhibits with my parents, I was ready to go once I’d seen the baby farm animals. People slowly filled in the field, waiting for their chance to look at the moon and talk about the sky, so we moved along. It was not yet dark enough to see any stars, that wouldn’t be possible for another hour or so, if the clouds cooperated, and we were ready to go, our bedtime is not unlike that of a nine-year-old’s.

As a kid, if you are lucky, you are exposed to a lot of different things. I guess that’s what I like about 100 THINGS TO DO BEFORE YOU GROW UP, the idea that you can try stuff to see if you like it. You can also figure out what you don’t like. I’ve long known that I am not interested in space or telescopes. I had access to a telescope for several years and I never once thought, hey, you know what I want to do tonight? Break out the telescope and look at the stars! Space is a bit scary; too vast, too incomprehensible for me, and I really don’t like thinking about it.

Now I’m remembering how hard it is to write about something that you have no interest in. As a kid, the majority of writing I did was about stuff I didn’t care about. Part of what makes being an adult better than being a child is that you have options. You don’t like rollercoasters? Don’t ride them. You don’t enjoy reading books where the dog dies? Don’t read them. You aren’t interested in telescopes or space? You don’t have to write about them.

Stuck in the black hole of writing this post, I kept coming back to the members of the Raleigh Astronomy Club. They are what interests me. I’ve never been a niche person. I have my things and I like them, but I admire people who find their thing and go all in. These guys, they were mostly guys, have been interested in astronomy and telescopes for years. Their hobby is predominantly solo and time and labor intensive. Hauling heavy, expensive, complicated equipment to remote places; setting up late into the night with the hope of seeing something. Such dedication. I admire it. That night, we could sense that they were enjoying sharing the thing they love with others; especially kids. Just like the train enthusiasts and the coin collectors, they want to pass their enthusiasm on to the next generation. I think that’s what we all want, right?

Space, love it or leave it? Tell me your thoughts. I’d also love to hear from any deep divers out there, what is your thing?

Thanks for reading!

Before you go…the day of the Star Party I rechecked the Facebook event posting and remembered that the organizers suggested bringing flashlights. I found a small one that we keep near the front door for late night dog walking but I wanted a second. I’m sure we have more flashlights (see, garage full of boxes) but I couldn’t lay my hands on one. I texted Elisabeth, who lives within walking distance, to see if she had one we could borrow. She did. The next day, when we talked about the Star Party she confessed that after half-heartedly listening about this event she got worried with the flashlight request and the random location and looked it up. She was afraid maybe her Gen X parents were wandering into a party they were unprepared for!