The glow of the moon was faint, yet still predominantly illuminated the night sky. Lying down upon the grassy field can really put your world into a new perspective, gazing up into the night sky. Despite the moon’s hazy presence, you are persistent enough to wait outside on the cold ground to watch as the transparent clouds roll by to reveal distant stars. From your frame of reference, you can easily spot each beautiful constellation, seeming to waltz throughout the sky. Back at home, such patterns couldn’t even dare to be seen in the sky; light pollution was prominent from where you came from. Nevertheless, you feel the loving presence of the stars around you, knowing all too well that you are not alone.
I had the opportunity to go stargazing with my new friends at SUNY Geneseo, and let me just say it was the best college experience I have had by far. My friends and I wandered the dark campus, only guided by the faint light of the moon. We walked to the edge of the track and field, making our way to the darkest spot possible. My eyes were glued to the sky, anxiously waiting to see the first stars through the clouds. Sitting upon the cold grass is when it hit me, Vega was shining bright in the sky between a mess of trees and clouds. Little by little, more and more stars started peeking out from behind their transparent barriers. As I lay there with my friends, these stars started to form constellations. Cassiopeia, Andromeda, Pisces, Aquarius–they all danced throughout the sky. You could see the planets amidst the stars, and if you had a good eye, there was no doubt you would see a few shooting stars passing by. The sky was endless, signifying the infinite vast universe we are fortunate enough to exist in.
Sitting outside makes you think about how little you are compared to the rest of the known universe, but even going away to school so far from home gives you an idea of how vast our world is. This was one of many stargazing trips I can’t wait to watch in the future at SUNY Geneseo. –Nicole