As a kid, I was always afraid of the dark. I would ask my parents to leave the hallway lights on at night and I would shy away from stargazing that required walking 50 yards through the dark New Hampshire woods from my house to the lake. However, as I grew up, I learned to love the night sky and the stars. Living in the suburbs of Boston, I rarely see that many stars. I long for trips to the Lake or to Martha’s Vineyard, where light pollution is minimal and the stars shine bright. Looking at the stars gives me a sense of freedom and relaxation. Bogard talks about how the sky above Times Square is an empty blackness that shows few signs of life. In contrast, the rural night sky reminds us of how small we are. It dominates all of human life in a completely natural and awe inspiring way.

A shaky image that I took of the night sky over Martha’s Vineyard, MA.

Vegas from space.