RHAPSODIES OF THE BALKAN SKY

-from the Meridional Carpathians to the Adriatic Sea,
around two events in dark spots of the Balkan Peninsula-

(new dedications to
The World At Night and Dark Skies Awareness,
global official projects of the International Year of Astronomy)

-photographs by Valentin Grigore (President of SARM)
and words by Andrei Dorian Gheorghe (cultural counsellor of SARM)-


*

Every man lives in a country,
which is placed in a region of the Earth,
which is…

Every star lives in a constellation,
which is placed in a region of the sky,
which is…

Every particle lives in a galaxy,
which is placed in a region of the Universe,
which is…

*

OTHER HEAVENLY VISIONS OVER FAGARAS,
THE HIGHEST ROMANIAN AREA
(August 2009;
photographs taken during SARM’s “Perseids XVII” Event)






























































*

Stars…

Luminous balls of plasma which radiate energy…
Heavenly torches which guide our nights…
Subjects for the astronomers’ calculus…
Inspiration for myths, tales, arts, science fiction, poetry…
Violent thermonuclear processes…
Models of peace and harmony…
Measure of the Creator’s power…

Everybody can choose a point of view.
Everybody can combine all these points of view.

But it is quite challenging
to try every night
to touch the stars’ light.

*

STARS AND CLOUDS OVER THE FAGARAS MOUNTAINS
(Romania, August 2009;
photographs taken during SARM’s “Perseids XVII” Event)


































































*

Between us and the stars
there is an intermediary,
which collects and gives superior light:
the Moon.

For the Universe
it is just a modest satellite
that belongs to the Earth’s system,
so it is insignificant.

But for us
the Moon is the Queen of the Night,
drawing golden fantasies
among the stars.

Yes indeed,
for our nature
the Moon is both a gift
and a border.

*

MOON, CLOUDS AND STARS OVER THE FAGARAS MOUNTAINS
(Romania, August 2009;
photographs taken during SARM’s “Perseids XVII” Event))






















































*

Our Sun…

Just a perfect combination
of Hydrogen and Helium,
a small star in this Universe
full of paradoxes,
but the great star of life for us,
which lightens planets and their satellites.

If I would be a cloud,
I would dedicate my tender forms
to the Sun.

If I would be a sea,
I would dedicate my changeable waves
to the Sun.

But I am just a man
both grateful -
because the Sun
sustains the Earth -
and concerned -
because someday the same Sun
will swallow the same Earth.

*

SEPTEMBER SKIES OVER SERBIA AND CROATIA


















































*

Today we live in a world
in which the material pollution
tends to hide
the sky and its meanings.

So it is noble that
some of the existing knights of humanity
fight for a clean sky.

In fact,
they fight for a cosmic status.

They fight against
ignorance and blindness.

They fight to save
the human connection to the Universe.

*

IN THE DARKEST EUROPEAN SPOT
(Lastovo Island, Croatia, 2009 September 14-18,
2nd International Symposium for Dark-sky Parks,
2nd International Dark-sky Camp)












































































































*

Around a small star,
on a small planet,
there is a small region with many races,
which has been tortured by historical conflicts.

But in the same region
there are some of the darkest spots of the world,
through which the sky
can speak clearer.

Maybe those spots will help
to a durable peace.

Maybe those spots will inspire us
to make more for our small planet
during our so short lives,
caressed from too far away
by the Moon, the Sun, and the stars.

*

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