Astronomical Mindfulness

Thousands of years ago, when we humans lived together in communal caves, we told stories about the stars. When we later took to the seas, we used stellar positions to navigate and pinpoint our place in the world. When we eventually stopped migrating and settled on land, we relied on the constellations and the Sun to plant and sustain crops. Yet today, we modern humans have lost this deep connection to the cosmos that was once central to our daily lives.

Astronomical Mindfulness helps us reconnect to the solar system once more, guiding us through the fundamental ways in which our planet moves through the solar system and how these motions determine our perception of time and place. Offering a concise yet in-depth look at the Sun, the Moon, the planets, and the stars, it teaches us to observe and understand the elements comprising the celestial sphere deepening our lives and helping us become more informed, engaged, and mindful every day.

The best part: you don't need to climb a mountain, visit an observatory, or even own a telescope. From an apartment rooftop to a city park, from your backyard to the window by your desk, the skies are accessible to everyone. Astronomical Mindfulness is a unique tool for personal growth essential to coping in our modern world, enabling us to be more present, more connected, and more relaxed simply by looking up toward the stars.

About the Authors

Christopher G. De Pree is the director of the National Radio Dynamic Zone Project at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory. He has served as professor of astronomy and director of the Bradley Observatory at Agnes Scott College for twenty-five years, and is the author of several popular astronomy books, most recently Idiot’s Guides: The Cosmos (2014).

Sarah Scoles is a freelance journalist and contributing writer at WIRED. She is the author of Making Contact: Jill Tarter and the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (2017) and They Are Already Here: UFO Culture and Why We See Saucers (2020).