I’m not sure what it was that woke me up.
It was before sunrise and still dark.
But when I looked out the window to the east, there was a stirring sight I hadn’t seen for months.
The constallation of Orion the Hunter, with his distinctive starry belt and dagger, the ghost of the shimmering summer dawn.
According to the website EarthSky, that apt description comes from a poem by Sophia C Prentice which was published in Popular Astronomy magazine in 1924, and is reproduced below. The poem celebrates the mighty hunter, whose distinctive shape figures prominently in the winter night sky of the northern hemisphere.
Orion is one of the easiest constellations to spot, a reassuring presence on crisp and cold nights in winter, yet a surprise summer visitor for those, like me (who could sleep through a herd of elephants traipsing through the bedroom), who are not usually awake before the sunrise.
The sight of Orion right outside my window reminded me of an encounter I had a few years ago. I’d made contact with an astronomer during what turned out to be an unsuccessful campaign to remove a plethora of dazzingly bright street lights in my village, which had been imposed suddenly by the local authority with no consultation with residents.
I sought help from a man called Bob Mizon, an active member of the Wessex Astronomical Society. He was a dark skies champion.
We arranged an appointment to meet a few days later in the village square.
‘How will I recognise you?’ I asked on the phone.
‘Oh, you’ll know me,’ he said.
As I stood on the pavement waiting for him, a van came into sight, signwritten with the words Mizar Travelling Planetarium emblazoned across the side.
It was like a scene from a Ray Bradbury short story and something I have never forgotten
Bob was a gentle man, knowledgeable and passionate about the night sky, and kind and generous with his time.
His involvement didn’t do much good in getting the local countil to adjust or get rid of the new streetlights, but the long campaign did lead to an apology for the lack of consultation in the first place.
Sadly, Bob Mizon died suddenly last year. Here’s a tribute to him from Dark Sky International.
If you’re fascinated by stars, planets and moon phases, I thoroughly recommend Bob’s beautifully written and fascinating monthly guide to the night sky, The Stargazer’s Almanac.
In the meantime, here’s the poem about Orion by Sophia C Prentice:
Across the winter sky by night
Orion proudly strides;
The rising moon in silver state
His splendor scarcely hides;
His jeweled belt, his glittering sword,
In brilliancy combine,
Great Sirius and Procyon,
His loyal followers shine,
The Book of books records his name,
Of him the poets write;
From nursery windows, children’s eyes
Greet him with gay delight.
The soft breeze stirs to greet the dawn,
The summer stars grow dim,
When lo, a mystic shape appears
Above the Ocean’s rim.
The form so faintly shining there
No royalty can boast,
Yet with a thrill my heart proclaims,
‘It is Orion’s ghost!”
Alone and pale he trembles there
A moment and is gone,
While radiant couriers of the sun
Announce the coming morn.
Orion, greatest of the tribe
That pace the starry heights.
Ghost of the shimmering summer dawn,
King of the winter nights!
Maddie Grigg 