In Search of Sirius: An Absent Star and the Energy of Sunrise

The Susquehanna River August 13th, 2011 6:23 AM

I got to the river just before the sun crested, compass in hand to observe the southeast sky but saw no sign of the Dog Star. According to various internet sources Sirius was due to return to Northern skies today. Ancient people were very precise in their observations of the heavens. The internet, it seems, is not. But that was alright. Seeing the sun rise over the mountains was worth getting up for.

There is a resonant energy to the world just before dawn and there was a time when I used to get up at five o'clock in the morning just to feel the hum. On the way home from the river today, I remembered that time. I remembered how I used to sit in the kitchen and drink black coffee and write straight through until sunrise. I lived in the city then but I could see the better part of eastern sky above the vacant lot outside my back door. I got early up to write and see the sun come up almost every morning. In many ways, that place was my first real home and I made the most of it.

On the way back from the river this morning, I thought that I could do that here, too, if I wanted. The old turn of the century houses are close together in my neighborhood but ours is on a small hill and I have full view of the sky over the roof tops and mountains from my east facing bedroom slash office. Rearranging the furniture was relatively easy and my desk now faces that window. I am going to get up early tomorrow and write. Maybe I will catch sunrise by the river another day. Sirius is back after all. And if I get the timing right, I should be able to catch it any morning I choose.

Update:  Here in the new house, I have an office.  And it came equipped with a big east facing window <3