Galactic worlds in the Hubble frame
Beautiful and exotic, time and again,
They make us feel small and tame,
Overwhelmed, and quite mundane.

From terra firma, clear night skies,
Bring deep awe welling as well,
For upward gaze won’t apologize,
As we meditate under magic spell.

Across silvering Stygian velveteen
We scan for orientation and bearings.
Stars shine brightly, others unseen,
Background haze, galaxy clusterings.

Dome is making its daily rotation,
Chorion protection for home on earth,
Draco, fierce dragon at station,
Arrogantly guards bright M101.

There’s Cassiopia, Cepheus and Cetus,
Camelopardalis, Major and Minor Canis,
Orion, Monoceros, Hydra and Lepus,
Zodiacs Leo, Virga, Libra, Aquarius.

Ahh, Ursa Major, Big Dipper array,
In profile, two bright end stars of cup
Fix Polaris some four lengths away
At Little Dipper’s handle, end up.

Yes, Polaris, the North Star of legend,
Points the way in northern hemisphere
To North, and lets us our way amend,
When we would navigate from here.

Now grab screen and to south drag,
For groupings, to North, arcana,
Overflowing constellation grab bag:
Chameleon, Apus, Octans, Tucana…

Software you won’t be forgetting,
For viewing sans chill and bugs,
Speed it up, control it’s setting,
For tip, no money, only {{hugs}}.

http://www.stellarium.org/

© 2007 R. Leland Waldrip