February 28, 2004

He wishes for the cloths of Heaven

Posted by Kieran

There wasn’t much light pollution when I was growing up in Ireland, but it was cloudy way too often. It wasn’t until I moved to Arizona and got out into the desert at night that I fully appreciated the Milky Way as a celestial object you could look up and see. I remain appallingly ignorant about the constellations, but via Escadabelle comes a superb photograph of the Arizona night sky (see also a larger version).1 If you’re ever in Tucson, make time to get out to the Kitt Peak National Observatory which runs a terrific Nightly Observing Program. Here in Australia the night sky is also very clear, outside the cities, but I am even more clueless about its composition.

1 Incidentally, I know that this photo wasn’t taken just by strolling out into the desert and pointing a camera in the air. But it conveys the feeling of what it’s like to be out there.

Posted on February 28, 2004 10:24 AM UTC
Comments

The Orb’s ace dance track, “Little Fluffy Clouds,” is all about Arizona skies. Lyrics here

Posted by Henry · February 28, 2004 03:32 PM

The International Dark-Sky Association (http://www.darksky.org) works to stop light pollution to improve the view of the night sky.

Posted by alkali · February 28, 2004 03:52 PM

I live in Arizona, now and I can back all that up. Haven’t lived here too long though and never have seen that pic - yet.

Saw GREAT lightning storms last year, though.

Posted by Andrew | BYTE BACK · February 29, 2004 12:25 AM

Yes, lots of stars. This past summer, at the bottom of the Grand Canyon on a clear, moonless night, I was amazed at how much I could see by starlight alone. (I live on the East Coast, land of light pollution.)

Posted by John Stein · February 29, 2004 02:48 AM

Thanks for the link Professor Healy! Cheers!!

Posted by Escadabelle · February 29, 2004 01:14 PM
Followups

→ Skywatching.
Excerpt: SKYWATCHING....Kieran Healy writes today that due to Ireland's cloudy nature, he didn't really appreciate that the Milky Way truly existed until he moved to Arizona. He links to the picture at right as proof of what the Arizona night sky...Read more at Calpundit
→ Skywatching.
Excerpt: SKYWATCHING....Kieran Healy writes today that due to Ireland's cloudy nature, he didn't really appreciate that the Milky Way truly existed until he moved to Arizona. He links to the picture at right as proof of what the Arizona night sky...Read more at Calpundit

This discussion has been closed. Thanks to everyone who contributed.