Were your eyes facing skyward last Monday? Perhaps you were one of millions of people who peered to the sky wearing silly-looking protective glasses and hoping to catch a glimpse of the solar eclipse. If you were, then you probably experienced something extraordinary as this natural phenomenon graced our skies and shared the Earth.
I had an opportunity to watch the total eclipse from a field in Guernsey, Wyoming. We parked early along Highway 26, set up our camp chairs, and watched a steady stream of cars—a peaceful pilgrimage of travelers—all looking for a special place to look skyward.
By mid-day, the grassy fields had a golden hue, the light became more diffuse, and the air temperature began to fall. Soon, we were enveloped in a soft twilight as the moon covered the path of the sun. I removed my protective glasses and peered at the perfect alignment of sun and moon and noticed the sudden stillness. For nearly two minutes we watched this celestial wonder, a union in the sky, it’s fleeting beauty giving us a moment for reflection and a feeling of grace.
This summer, during a family reunion on Hamlin Lake in Michigan, I had another opportunity to focus on the sky. My nephew, Nathan, tracked the skies with his celestial phone app and pinpointed the precise arrival of an “iridium flare” in the night sky. If you haven’t seen an iridium flare, it is a bit like a shooting star, but is a specific type of satellite flare or “glint” that happens when the antennae of an Iridium Communication Satellite reflects sunlight directly onto the surface of the Earth. “In 13 seconds, you are going to see an Iridium Flare,” explained Nathan as he pointed above Hamlin Lake. Sure enough there was a brilliant flare in the sky for just a few seconds, just enough time to leave us feeling a sense of awe.
Using his Sky Tracker App, Nathan then guided our eyes upward and we tracked the International Space Station (ISS) as it held a steady course overhead until it disappeared along our horizon. The sky above us was dark and clear and unimpeded by city lights. Seeing the ISS also brought about a feeling of wonder as we watched the night sky.
If you want to geek out a bit, check out this YouTube video of the guys who filmed the ISS going across the full eclipse of the moon and sun. What I love most about this video is the reaction these guys have when they capture this moment on film.
So, what is this fascination we have when we experience something out of the ordinary when we look skyward? Or when we experience a wonder of nature, skyward or not? One thing I’ve noticed is that looking up changes my perspective. I am no longer looking behind and focused on the past, nor am I looking ahead, trying to anticipate the future. Looking up at the boundless sky evokes something expansive, even inspiring, perhaps a sense of possibility.
In a 2015 New York Times article entitled, Why Do We Experience a Sense of Awe, authors Paul Piff and Dacher Keltner state that awe just might shift our focus from our own “self” interest and focus to something much bigger. “We found that awe helps bind us to others, motivating us to act in collaborative ways that enable strong groups and cohesive communities”, the authors stated. From my experience, this seemed to happen in the days and hours leading up to the eclipse, for sure.
And when I dug a little deeper, in a 2012 Stanford University Study, researchers found that a sense of wonder and awe expands our perception of time, anchoring us in the present moment, enabling us to experience a connection with something greater—boosting our sense of well-being and quality of life. For me, awe connects me to nature. It gets me out of my head, and away from everyday worries and concerns.
Looking up inspired me. Whether it was an Iridium Flare, the ISS, or the magnificence of the total eclipse. Each of these experiences beckoned me to go beyond my daily routine and to feel just a little more expansive. The next time I’m feeling overwhelmed, bogged down with decisions or daily tasks, I’m going to focus skyward and take some time to soak in the sky.
Things seem a little different when you are looking up.
--Dawn