A few impressions jotted down during my Perseids observing session on the morning of August 13, 1999 (1:00 am to dawn, near Queen Valley, Arizona):
What I bring to the night:
Eyes (wide open) and binoculars ...
Video camera and the hope of catching a falling star ...
The patience that it takes to catch one ...
Cookies and a cooler -- plenty of caffeine to stave off slumber ...
A pillow for my head ...
A cot to lie upon (not to sleep, but perchance to dream) ...
Enya on the headphones ...
The mental baggage of the day just done, which soon falls away ...
Escape from city lights' glare ...
A cool breeze, respite from asphalt's stored heat ...
Stillness, peace ...
A coyote howling to keep me company ...
Flying bugs, just annoying enough to remind me I'm alive ...
Surrounding saguaros, sentinels of the sky ...
Nary a cloud (until just before twilight) ...
A sky painted with stars ...
A magnificent Milky Way, arching above ...
Orion rising over distant low hills ...
Meteors -- celestial fireworks -- each one precious in its transience ...
The memory of another night well spent, to see me through my day.