Nostr notes by Prof. Sam Lawler

Where is the best, most incredible, most perspective-shattering ...

2026-08-10T00:29:14Z

In reply to nevent1q…d5uz
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Where is the best, most incredible, most perspective-shattering night sky that you've ever seen?

For me, it was the Tekapo dark sky reserve in New Zealand a few months ago (I got up at 1am both nights I was there specifically so I could get some mostly satellite-free skies to enjoy).

Second place: Mojave desert many years ago (before megaconstellations) or winter skies about an hour outside Regina, when the nights are long and there are no sunlit satellites due to geometry.

The world would be a much better place if everyone had easy ...

2026-08-09T21:56:07Z

In reply to nevent1q…99um
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The world would be a much better place if everyone had easy access to infinity's doorstep, to realize how small we are, how unique and fragile our pale blue dot is.

You don't need a trip on a billionaire's rocket to get the "overview effect." You can do it by finding dark sky access, which is becoming harder and harder to get, partially due to billionaires' rockets.

"At night this reassuring curtain of blue is pulled away and ...

2026-08-09T21:50:56Z

In reply to nevent1q…9k8d
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"At night this reassuring curtain of blue is pulled away and you realize where you really are: at infinity’s doorstep. A plain is what a mountain aims to be: the closest you can come to being in outer space while yet having your feet on this planet."

I really hope to get out to Grasslands Nat'l Park this week and appreciate infinity's doorstep, despite smoke and satellites trying to take that away.