Discovering Stargazing

By Carlton U. Forbes

The night's sky is one of the most fascinating natural attractions anywhere on this planet. It offers an eyeful of breathtaking and dazzling scenes to stargazers every night. Because of this, stargazing is one of the most electrifying and thrilling hobbies anyone can take up.

Even the average stargazer will notice that the night sky is alight with a sea of stars. There is Aldebaran, Arcturus, Betelgeuse, Canopus, Rigel and Sirius. Then, there are the constellations, like Andromeda, Apus, Aries, Cancer, Cassiopeia, Orion, Pegasus, Virgo, and a host of others.

No doubt, the British Poet Jane Taylor was a stargazer. Only the heavens could have inspired the well-known children's song: ``Twinkle, twinkle, little star, how I wonder what you are.''

Since the creation of man, the stars have always been a source of curiosity, discovery, fascination, inspiration, mystery, speculation and superstition.

The songwriter Ned Washington was probably stargazing when writing the lyrics to this popular jingle. ``When you wish upon a star, makes no difference who you are. Anything your heart desires will come to you ... When you wish upon a star, your dreams come true.''

Webster's Dictionary defines a star as ``a massive sphere of gas, like the sun or other blazing celestial bodies.'' Astronomers say that stars have their beginnings in chaos. They come into being in a blaze of glory, and throughout their fiery existence, they light up our galaxy with their continuous eruptions, explosions, and detonations.

And when the stars die, they do it with dignity. They fade into oblivion with one last flickering flame before vanishing into the night of nothingness.

No matter how one defines it, the word star is loaded with meaning and importance. For one thing, stars are known for their brilliance and flaming ambiance; their gleaming, sparkling, twinkling awesomeness. Just a casual look at the night sky is enough to awaken awe, amazement, and a new sense of appreciation for one of God's most glowing handiwork.

No matter how depressed we may feel, just a few minutes of stargazing can trigger many positive emotions like good vibrations, stirring sensations, and new inspirations. In fact, the stars have so much influence on us we would find it hard to express ourselves without making direct or indirect references to them.

Teachers often refer to an outstanding student as a star pupil. Athletes who succeed in playing their best games and winning important medals/trophies are called star athletes. Entertainers who manage to win fans around the world and attract the media's attention or paparazzi photographers when they go out are called superstars.

Savvy travelers know that the best hotels are ranked according to the number of stars assigned to them. The worst ones have no star at all, while the super-deluxe are called five-star hotels. Naturally, guests at five star hotels cannot eat just anywhere. Instead, only a five-star restaurant can satisfy their expensive tastes.

Also, businesses and corporations are well aware of the prestige that comes from associating their goods and services with stars. A case in point is Samsung, the world's leading memory chipmaker. The name itself means three stars.

Then there is LG, one of Korea's leading electronics, audio/video, and chemical manufacturer. A closer look at the name will reveal that the ``L'' means lucky and the ``G'' stands for gold or five stars.

Next is the Korean snack food company Orion. And what exactly does Orion mean? Again, Webster says that Orion is ``one the equatorial constellations with more than 200 stars visible to the naked eye." Also, Chilsong, the nation's biggest beverage maker is named a group of stars. Chil in hangeul means seven, and song means star.

The Bible speaks of the stars as celestial bodies that reflect the mysterious and majestic nature of God's creative power. Job tells us: ``God is the maker of the Bear and Orion; the Pleiades and the Southern constellations." (Job 9:9) ``The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament displays His handy work (Psalms 19:1).

In the first gospel, Matthew recounts a peculiar episode in which magi from the east traveled all the way to Palestine on account of a sparkling phenomena. One night, while observing the heavens, they noticed a star so bright, so dazzling, and so striking, they examined their astronomical charts to determine the meaning of this celestial sign.

Soon, they were convinced that the star was an extraterrestrial beacon, beckoning them to the birthplace of a king. So they set off in the direction that led them to Palestine. When they arrived in Jerusalem, they inquired of Herod: ``Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him." (Matt. 2:1&2)

Although the Jewish people were unaware of the messianic prophecies being fulfilled around them, the Christ Child was not born in silence. Though the news media of that day had no headlines of this event, God used the heavenly host to broadcast the Savior's birth.

Despite the absence of banners, posters, fliers and leaflets about Mary's boy child, a star led foreigners into Bethlehem to worship God's begotten Son.

Like the sages from the East, we should be like discerning stargazers, conscious of the heavenly signs that will lead us into the presence of Christ the Lord. As we prepare for another year-end celebration, let us regard the holiday as more than a shopping bonanza.

Christmas is a time to commemorate the birthday of our savior. As we reunite with family and friends this holiday season, let us also welcome the incarnate Christ into our homes, our hearts and our lives.

Carlton Forbes is an ESL instructor living in Daejeon. He has recently completed his first book ``ESL Teaching Aids: An Interactive Study Guide.'' He can be reached at forcal@excite.com.