I want to see the stars

[GwJ]

Link to original post: [drupal=5163]I want to see the stars[/drupal]



And by that, I mean I want to get a good view of the starry night in person. Unfortunately, that's not easy to do in modern civilization.

Does anybody live in an area that's actually dark enough to get a good view of the stars at night? If so, what's it like?

 

[Lore]

In a wide open field with no bright lights of the city around, it's... hard to describe. I feel like I just get swallowed up in the immensity of it, and it blows me away every time.

However, I hear that some people don't particularly care about it.

 

[Venus of the Desert Bloom]

I can see the stars pretty well from the city I live in Japan. I've been able to see three shooting stars since I moved here. However, about a half and hour from where I live in some great mountainous areas where I hear the stars are particularly spectacular.

I previously lived in a fairly small town in Ohio by Lake Erie. I was able to see the stars pretty well there as well but I was usually too busy to take time to look at them. Interesting story but last Christmas (2010), I went back to the States for a month. I always go jogging at night on Mondays and Wednesdays here in Japan and I always look at the stars as I job so I made a note, before I left for the States, to go jogging when I went back.. Sure enough, after I returned to the States, I recognized some of the brighter stars half the world away. It made me feel connected back to my life in Japan and, since I have returned, I feel much more connected to the States. It's interesting how things like that do that to you.

However, the best memory I remember of star-gazing was taking a ferry ride to a small island in Lake Erie with some friends in the late evening. Her grandparents own a cottage there and we went during Labor Day weekend. I'll never forget watching the sunset over Lake Erie and the stars coming out in the night sky. It was absolutely beautiful.

 

[Sucumbio]

I live in an area of relatively low light pollution but the trick here is to catch a night when it's not overcast which due to the humidity is kInda rare.

I grew up in Boston however so it is still quite a difference. Flying at night you can barely see an end to the glow of city light that covers the landscape from Boston to NYC to dc like a starry night in reverse.

Lol I thought this blog was gonna be about taking a trip to outer space XD

 

[jrkirby]

Where do you live? I can see the stars just fine, and I live in a city. Is it particularly polluted where you live?

 

[GwJ]

I live in Allentown, a heavily populated city west of Philly. The best I can see is Ursa major. I could probably count the number of stars visible at night.

 

[Claire Diviner]

I love to stargaze, but seeing as I live in the city, I hardly ever get to see the stars like I would want to. On occasions, I visit a friend of mine who live far from the city, and you can literally see the planets as well. The fact she has a telescope makes the view even more breathtaking.

 

[Pachinkosam]

Just go to a camp sight. That's the best place for at stars close up.

 

[Teran]

Go somewhere where the population isn't so dense and the skies are clear.

Pretty much that simple.

 

[Chronodiver Lokii]

I can see the stars pretty well from the city I live in Japan. I've been able to see three shooting stars since I moved here. However, about a half and hour from where I live in some great mountainous areas where I hear the stars are particularly spectacular.

I previously lived in a fairly small town in Ohio by Lake Erie. I was able to see the stars pretty well there as well but I was usually too busy to take time to look at them. Interesting story but last Christmas (2010), I went back to the States for a month. I always go jogging at night on Mondays and Wednesdays here in Japan and I always look at the stars as I job so I made a note, before I left for the States, to go jogging when I went back.. Sure enough, after I returned to the States, I recognized some of the brighter stars half the world away. It made me feel connected back to my life in Japan and, since I have returned, I feel much more connected to the States. It's interesting how things like that do that to you.

However, the best memory I remember of star-gazing was taking a ferry ride to a small island in Lake Erie with some friends in the late evening. Her grandparents own a cottage there and we went during Labor Day weekend. I'll never forget watching the sunset over Lake Erie and the stars coming out in the night sky. It was absolutely beautiful.

Lake Erie is seriously the best place for star gazing
I live in the suburbs of Cleveland, but my grandparents have a cottage out in Huron. We usually don't stay too late, but when we do, we'll sit out on their lawn, on the pier, or have a bonfire on the beach and just look at the sky. It's awe inspiring

 

[Ussi]

I can see the stars quite fine at my house. Suburban areas are quite fine in stargazing if they aren't near a populated city.

 

[infiniteV115]

However, the best memory I remember of star-gazing was taking a ferry ride to a small island in Lake Erie with some friends in the late evening. Her grandparents own a cottage there and we went during Labor Day weekend. I'll never forget watching the sunset over Lake Erie and the stars coming out in the night sky. It was absolutely beautiful.

Just go to a camp sight. That's the best place for at stars close up.

Lake Erie is seriously the best place for star gazing

Haha, you guys know it.
I live in Toronto and I go camping with my mom, some of her friends and some relatives every summer, and I get to bring 2 friends along with me each time (I think we've gone camping every year since I was...8? I'm 18 now)
Anyway, last summer (2011) was probably the best in terms of stargazing. We were at some campsite near Lake Erie (the name of the campsite escapes me atm, I'll probably edit it in later if I can remember) and on this one particular night, myself, the 2 friends and 2 of my cousins all decided to walk to the nearby shore and look up at the night sky. We all sat down at this one bench that was, for some reason, in the sand.

My god, it was amazing.

The stars were very clearly visible, noticeably more visible than in the city. The moon was on one side of the lake, and, far off in the distance on the other side was a thunderstorm. That corner of the night sky was shimmering pink and red. The water's surface reflected both the moon and the stars, and the entire lake sparkled as the reflections bounced about with the waves. One of my friends brought his guitar, and played some soothing melodies while the rest of us listened and stared. Talk about ambient.

And, for some reason, the moon was changing. Over the course of...probably around 45-60 minutes, the moon went from bright white, to yellow, to red, and from there it just faded until we could no longer see it. My friends and I joked about it, saying that the moon 'had a hissyfit'

 

[Luigitoilet]

Stars are overrated

 

[Lore]

And, for some reason, the moon was changing. Over the course of...probably around 45-60 minutes, the moon went from bright white, to yellow, to red, and from there it just faded until we could no longer see it. My friends and I joked about it, saying that the moon 'had a hissyfit'

Sounds like a lunar eclipse.

 

[Chronodiver Lokii]

Haha, you guys know it.
I live in Toronto and I go camping with my mom, some of her friends and some relatives every summer, and I get to bring 2 friends along with me each time (I think we've gone camping every year since I was...8? I'm 18 now)
Anyway, last summer (2011) was probably the best in terms of stargazing. We were at some campsite near Lake Erie (the name of the campsite escapes me atm, I'll probably edit it in later if I can remember) and on this one particular night, myself, the 2 friends and 2 of my cousins all decided to walk to the nearby shore and look up at the night sky. We all sat down at this one bench that was, for some reason, in the sand.

My god, it was amazing.

The stars were very clearly visible, noticeably more visible than in the city. The moon was on one side of the lake, and, far off in the distance on the other side was a thunderstorm. That corner of the night sky was shimmering pink and red. The water's surface reflected both the moon and the stars, and the entire lake sparkled as the reflections bounced about with the waves. One of my friends brought his guitar, and played some soothing melodies while the rest of us listened and stared. Talk about ambient.

And, for some reason, the moon was changing. Over the course of...probably around 45-60 minutes, the moon went from bright white, to yellow, to red, and from there it just faded until we could no longer see it. My friends and I joked about it, saying that the moon 'had a hissyfit'

Sounds so pretttyyyyyy

Ever since I moved to Pittsburgh for school, stargazing has sucked....
Back in Cleveland for the weekend though. I can only see a few stars....but dang did I miss the pretty night sky

 

[Vermanubis]

The eastern half of Oregon in entirety has probably 1/5 the population of Portland alone. I can see EVERYTHING.

 

[Fuelbi]

Personally I'm more into reaching for the stars than seeing them

 

[GwJ]

Personally I'm more into literal meanings than figurative ones.