I just had a stargasm!

Kim and I are on our way back to LA from my mother's wedding in North Platte, Nebraska. The trip has been great so far; along the way, we've visited quite a few national parks (and national monuments and a national memorial). This evening we arrived at our hotel just outside Bryce Canyon National Park in southern Utah (we'll be spending a chunk of tomorrow there), and I talked Kim into going out between sunset and moonrise to look at the stars.

Stargazing on a dark night with a clear sky far from city lights is one of the most awe inspiring experiences that I've had; I don't get the opportunity often at all. Bryce Canyon turns out to be an absolutely top-notch viewing location: it's far from major light sources, and the dry air makes for tremendously clear viewing. The glory of seeing the stars at a place like this is the sheer number of them that you can see: not just the brightest few but countless thousands in every direction. And yet, those rare dark sky opportunities are also the times when I turn out to most wish that I knew more about which stars are which and even about the constellations (which my rational side usually dismisses as insignificant historical artifacts).

I really have to do this more often. And when I have kids, I'll make a point of taking them to see the stars as often as we can manage.