Bright Light, Night Light

Bright Light, Night Light

As those of us sharing our lives with canine companions often say, one of the many benefits is being outdoors to witness some extraordinary phenomenon.  Very early on a November morning this past year, my furry friend and I were coming to a point in our walk where there is a break in a hedge along the shore of a large lake.  This break allows you to see the lake, the north and east shore and the horizon.  There was a front clouding and hanging in the northeastern sky.
Suddenly, a large fiery ball, with a hint of green color, with an equally fiery tail broke from under that front and dropped into the lake.  It had to have been a falling star, but that close to the horizon it looked huge.  To say I was stunned is an understatement.  Not for the first and certainly not for the last time, I wish we could take pictures with our eyes.
In those moments when we remember to look up, especially at night, the sky holds infinite wonders.  In 1900 a girl guided by her curiosity was born.  We learn of her accomplishments in
The Fire of Stars
: The Life and Brilliance of the Woman Who Discovered What Stars Are Made Of
(
Chronicle Books
,
February 07,
2023) written by Kirsten W. Larson with illustrations by Katherine Roy.  When you read the words in this narrative and gaze at the artwork, it is as if the magic of a star-studded sky has come to earth and you are holding it in your hands.
Cecilia kicks and cries.
Until her mother
sets her down
so Cecilia can feel with her own tiny toes
the cold and crackly snow,
which isn’t soft and warm like she expected.
As she grows up, Cecilia is often found outdoors exploring nearby gardens and their inhabitants.  One day, she discovers how orchards lure bees into carrying pollen from place to place.  This fascination with finding the truth makes her feel truly alive.
Unfortunately, the family leaves the country for the city of London so Cecilia’s brother can attend a more appropriate school.  The school Cecilia has to attend is more like a prison than what she desires.  She finds solace in a chemistry lab at the school (not meant for her) and science books at home.  She has found her niche.
A Miss Dalglish, a teacher of science, comes to her school and the two become friends.  Before she becomes too sick to teach, she gives Cecilia a book about astronomy.  Still encouraged through correspondence by her teacher’s support, Cecilia receives a scholarship to study at the University of Cambridge.  After hearing a renowned astronomer speak, she changes her field of studies.
Science degree in hand, Cecilia leaves for the United States.  At Harvard her heart’s and mind’s desire is to discover the composition of stars.  Her observations and calculations are still not giving her answers and she is required to submit her research results to the Observatory director.  Then, like the day she discovered snow was not soft and warm, Cecilia has an explanation.  She is twenty-five years old!
Readers wil…