Letters from Josh, Vol. 95

Sidewalk Astronomy and Big Thoughts from Strangers

Happy Monday!

The falling rain is counteracting two cups of coffee, and I am sleepy. But no matter - make it a third, imaginary barista spelling my name wrong, it’s time for this week’s Letters!

Letters From Josh

Takin’ it to the Streets

#95 8/15/22

Howdy, folks! An Iraqi diplomat, a devout Baptist, and a waitress stopped to look at Saturn. It sounds like a joke, and while the outcome is often humorous, it’s all true! Sidewalk Astronomy is quickly becoming a favorite activity. I set up a telescope wherever there’s a clear view of the sky and people walking by, and the festivities begin. “Hey man, whatcha looking at?” They drift over to see what the contraption is. “Check out the first quarter moon, dude!” “Holy smokes! That’s amazing! Can you see the flag?” (No, but there’s opportunity for a practical joke. I must figure it out.)

What happens next is magic. People start to open up, to think out loud, and ponder the big thoughts. Aliens and God are the two most popular topics, for good reason. A Friday night on Earth feels plenty big, with many unknowns and variables of the social variety. Contemplation of large distances and the near-Infinite sparks a conflagration waiting to be lit. “Do you think we’re alone?” “What does it all mean?” “How ‘bout Pluto?”

Rappers, jazz musicians, and comedians are famous for honing their skills with impromptu “jam sessions” at little clubs with rowdy crowds. A famous musician with a slick production lives in a bubble. Do their chops hold up in “street fights” and the truly free market of an after-hours audience? Street Astronomy has a similar feel. Powerpoint slides are miles away. “Fun facts” are always challenged. Nobody has to stay. I love it.

We stand around the telescope, and the talks dive deep with breathtaking speed. Once I had a rig set up my the Lincoln Memorial in DC on a chilly February evening. “Hard to believe” someone said, looking at the moon. “Yeah man!” I replied, too quickly. “...That we’ve been there!” he finished. “Ahhh! I’ve been looking for this conversation!” Forty five minutes later, we both learned much from our discussion. Our original opinions regarding the state of Nature remained unchanged, but the seeds for an idea would be planted: how do we manage big institutions, and the inherent corruption of human operators? Science (should be) pure as an idea, but how best can it be implemented properly? Back in the present August evening, I refer to this with the Iraqi and the Baptist lady, and it seems to be a worthy question to chew on. Two young boys run up and want to look through the telescope. It’s cloudy, so I point it at the warehouses a quarter mile away. “Cool!”

My voice was hoarse from the night before, so I packed it up. The conversation around the telescope the previous evening had spanned the French Revolution and the propagation of sound waves, to tribal politics and the dangers of polarization. The spirited debate lasted well past midnight. Jupiter was shining brightly by the time we all shook hands, hugged, and parted with new perspectives into each other’s thinking. High overhead, Saturn did the hula. Worn out, I crept home under a starry sky. Ain’t it grand to talk with our fellow Earthlings?

- Josh

Thumbs up for Saturn. Swing dancers cue for the view in downtown Lynchburg.