Global Explorers & Night Skies
Gallery: Night Skies Contest WinnersSomething about the night sky causes us all, young and old, to ponder over the very basic questions. We are inspired and motivated.
Kalpana Chawla
photo / introspection Stardust
By
Manisha
P. In the night sky, shines the origins of our being. Because stars exist, we exist. Our sun is one of 50 billion stars in the Milky Way galaxy, which is one among more than 50 billion other galaxies. It is easy to see ourselves as one speck in space, separated from the universe by intangible distances. However, we must come to realize that the only difference between stars and us is time. The carbon in the ink of a book, and the silicon in a computer chip were first created during the birth of a star when hydrogen fused together. Similarly, the iron that transports oxygen in our blood was created as a star exploded, in its dying phase. Each atom in each cell of our bodies formed the core of a star, billions of years ago. Yet, today they compose us. We are literally made of stardust.