Cosmic Jewels

If Keats could have seen through Hubble’s eyes when the sonnet ‘Bright Star’ he wrote, meaning its telescope-imaged skies with those stellar tableaux afloat, would he have noted ‘aloft it hung’ ‘steadfast’ all night in ‘splendor lone’, that poet who died, alas, too young yet over time whose fame has grown? Of course such matters can just be guessed or mused upon in dreamlike lapse regarding this work to star addressed, which may Polaris be perhaps. At any rate, the depiction shown of NGC One Eight Nine Eight, viewed in Large Magellanic Cloud zone, looks like dazzling jewels ornate. The astral globular cluster sphere, a stelliferous formation, lies in southern skies, far off from here, in Dorado constellation. Described as ‘celestial fairy lights’, this collection gravity bound was claimed as one of John Herschel’s sights when in eighteen thirty-four found. A spectrum wide from the infrared to the ultraviolet range was captured for the aggregate spread to study how star stages change. For wavelengths different to display two cameras distinct were used, and varied tints four filters portray, all finally together fused. That glittering cosmic ball contains more stars than we can comprehend, each one encompassing its domains, seen in multi-hued image blend. How many myriad realms might dwell within the sidereal crowd, where creatures ‘out of this world’, as well are poetically endowed? Would humans be able to perceive the art of a parallel Keats however such being could achieve commensurate lyrical feats? Returning from these celestial heights far beyond our firmament’s dome to this planet, there are countless plights disquieting, closer to home. Unbridled greed runs rampant on Earth and is taking a horrid toll. Deluded from grasping life’s true worth, Man mistakes a part for the whole. By nature bountifully bestowed, albeit diamonds in the rough, we fail to seek an enlightened road but choose instead to strut our stuff. Perchance in the heavens’ vast expanse unfathomed in immensity, a pale blue dot round lone star may dance where mortals have more sense than we. ~ Harley White * * * * * * * * * Some sources of poetic inspiration were the following… Bright star, would I were steadfast as thou art ~ sonnet by John Keats… Celestial fairy lights and NGC 1898: Globular Cluster in the Large Magellanic Cloud (images and articles)…