I'm teaching astronomy right now to my middle school students. For some reason I always considered the paths of the moon and sun and stars as something that required intense study and assumed that I would never have the patience or inclination to devote myself to the study of them. I figured I would have to be content with the Big Dipper, Orion, and the North Star. This is delightfully untrue.
The first night that I looked up into the sky and all of these stars were where I expected them to be was truly awe-inspiring. Furthermore, it gives a comforting feeling of order to the great big universe. Even the stars in the immense sky follow a predictable progression, just like the seasons, just like the unfolding of one of the spring crocuses. You just have to know what to look for. I hope my students are having the feeling of empowerment through knowledge that I'm feeling right now.
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