NEOWISE; the name of the magnificent lantern in the northern sky, passing through our solar system with unparalleled beauty. Trails of vapor follow close behind the 5-mile wide object of dust and water, etching a contrail into the atmosphere like no plane ever could. Only visible for these few weeks, NEOWISE will soon disappear for nearly 7,000 years, gracing the airspace of other planets as it passes by. The layout of the stars becomes so familiar to the observer’s eye, that no new item such as this could ever go unnoticed. Like Indian paintbrush and its cardinal hues, standing slightly taller than neighboring wildflowers. This unique visitor before our eyes and cameras seems to have put the world on hold momentarily, just as the total solar eclipse did a few short years ago. Of all the mysteries to ponder, why is it space that pulls us together so tightly?
At a day’s end, we are all human. We breathe air from the atmosphere, we are survived by Earth and her resources. We look up at the same night sky, and warm ourselves under the same sun. Though our mentalities may differ, drastically it seems, a comet above our heads makes us alike. Perhaps it is the unknown, the presence of infinity, or something greater? We may never know.
I love space and I love admiring the stars and naming constellations, but I do not wish to dive any deeper. The science behind the universe and beyond is simply too much to comprehend sometimes, but the stars we see have brought people together since our establishment on Earth. Staring up at a comet may only last a few short minutes, but in that time we are human, together.
I wonder where you’ll go. I wonder who will find you.
