There are few things as awe-inspiring as the contemplation of the night sky. The attempt to absorb the impact of a panoply of stars, to internalize the peace of a golden harvest moon rising over a tranquil lake, or to interpret the stately dance of greens and blues and reds over the Alaskan tundra seems to leave us well short of comprehending what we are seeing. Scientific study has its rewards, certainly, but for the average person, a face-to-face encounter with our senses wide open to the stimuli of raw, unfiltered nature is ultimately more soul-satisfying.