Starry Night

2010-05-18 18:59:43.000 – Rebecca Scholand,  Summit Intern

When I was in 4th grade we were all given an assignment to write our own mythology short story. Mine was why the stars don’t shine in the city. It went something like this…

There was an old man who wanted to copy the stars, so he lit lanterns and placed them in open fields to copy the night sky. The god of the stars didn’t like that the old man was copying him so he hid the stars leaving the lanterns burning on the ground. Over time the growing city lights angered the god of the stars because he thought the old man was once again trying to copy the sky. So once again he hid the stars leaving the lights of the city below.

Growing up on the east end of Long Island might not have been a city by any means, but the lights of New York City were near. Although you could see the stars on a clear dark night and occasionally spot a shooting star it was still a hidden sky, void of the Milky Way. Last night for the first time I stood in awe at the top of the observing tower staring at the millions of stars that make up the brilliant, milky white band in the sky. I watched as more then a dozen shooting stars streaked across the night sky and followed the satellites that glided by. Simple constellations seemed to vanish into a sea of stars. With not a light on the ground the sky was shining bright.

I guess it has been luck that has brought such beautiful weather to the summit this past week and allowed me to take in the magnificence Mount Washington has to offer. I just can’t wait to see what other experiences my time on the summit may have over the next few months.

Rebecca Scholand,  Summit Intern