Io & Europa's Jupiter Transit...

[Qualia]

The scene this early morning bristled with cliché. Below, the city blazed in hues of sickly yellow light; above, the warm night sky, the scattered twinkling that makes us feel so humbled and small.

I set my alarm for around 2:30am with the plan of witnessing the transit of Io and Europa over Jupiter. Unfortunately, seeing conditions were terrible this early morning. The city had burnt the previous day, reaching temperatures of around 45ºC and now a furtive shimmer kindled the warm air. Even at this time of night, even with that moderate breeze, your body begins to sweat.

I sat observing for a good hour or so but the orgy of neon light, perhaps the sun chasing close behind, blotted out any chance of seeing the delicate play of shadows gliding across Jupiter. Dawn could have come as a defeat, I could have packed up, gone to bed, but the sky was so huge, warm and inviting. I shrugged of the feeling of deception and drowsiness and wandered into the almost transparent night sky.

Hyades, the nearest open cluster to our solar system, was the first to grace me with her gorgeous reign. Moving upwards, I was enveloped in the gentleness of Pleiades, a multitude of glittering fires, tearful like rain drops on a summer’s day. I continued my journey upwards, and came across the rather stunning double of Gamma Arietis (Mesartim), two light blue orbs for the twinkle of the ram’s eye and finally, leaping from Upsilon Andromedae (υ And) was greeted by the gentle, elegant, and mystically haunting ghost clouds of Andromeda’s galaxies.

The end of the day, by now the beginning of another, had filled itself with strange promise. I went to bed and slept with anticipation for twilight.

[carlc]

The scene this early morning bristled with cliché.

Made me giggle.

Beautiful post Qualia

[Qualia]

Thank you for the kind words, Carl