Head above the clouds



Above the clouds over Snowdonia, New West Wales Copyright John Rowlands



Although we astronomers curse clouds by night, the dreamer in us prays for clouds by day.

 Clouds- nature's elegant storage system for the most precious compound on Earth. The wisdom of the stars owes gratitude to dancing percipitation. Without the occassional absence man would never have looked past the earthbound fog, never have measured and predicted the movement and position of our fellow playmates in the universe.



And yet without clouds' rain and mists and suncanopies, the Earth would be a more deserted palaette of sands. Traveling across the planet with a determined crawl they deliver reflecting crystals of life down to lush greenspaces, gathering fluid bodies and thirsty heartbeats. Only after long journys over mountains and plains, through rock and mud, and along twisting rivers can the tiny droplets begin the ascent back into the formless tangle at the outter space above.

The Cloud Appreciation Society dedicates itself to the wide appreciation of our cumulus, stratus and cirrus friends. Browse photos, read inspired poetry, or add to the abundance of cloud art.







Rings of Mars

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   Towering among the old oaks like a makeshift tree house, the stage whispered enticements to all who passed. Flying down Magnolia on my two wheels I passed walking students, strollered children, leashed dogs and even raced a few skateboards. Together we mustered on the brown hay field. Standing at full attention or kneeling on blankets as if in prayer we waited through a torrent of openers, waiting for the moment when the clouds would part and Mars would take the stage. Thirty Seconds to Mars, that its. Last Friday night, just after sundown, a free concert featuring the kings of promise, New Politics and Neon Trees graced the fields of campus. 

A music devotee, I saddled my schwinn, cruised down to The Meadows and claimed a choice canopy spot in the 5^th stage orbital. My peers in this outer space sat cuddled together in talk or fiddled with their cell phones. Ahead of us lingerers tiptoed on the outskirts of the pulsing crowd, waiting for their chance to enter, or perhaps daring no closer. With each foot deeper, the rings grew more energetic. Barely able to fit into the tiny inner space, bodies jumped around utilizing the space above. On the stage more bodies danced and jerked in the glowing ethereal greens and blue hues. 

And then, darkness. All was quiet. In the moments of set change, the energy died to a faint hum. But the crowd did not cease and the pressure of their compacted bodies bore a tension which seemed to strum the strings and beat the drums onstage. A melody of anticipation. A rhythmic cardiac bass, mixed with a delicate slide along the chimes and now spiked with hard beats of drum drama. My back straightened in reverence, my skin aglow with boiling excitement. Flexing my head back to deeply inhale the moment, I recognized two heavenly spectators out to cheer on their planetary pal. Positioned over my right shoulder brilliant Jupiter beamed gaily while over my left a waxing gibbous Moon smiled gracefully. Outstretching my hands to each and opening my chest to the waves of music I felt like a buoy bobbing from the vibrations of energy but powerless to move.

Bringing my eyes back down to Earth I fixed my sight on the Rings of Mars. Lost in their sonic synthesis  the Letos and Tomo radiated sunbursts of energy into a chaotic and dense cloud of satellites. With an inescapable gravitational pull the stage collected massive rings of dancers, listeners and air guitarists. From the comfort of my 5^th ring, I was safe from the occasional comet loosened by a trip or shove from the pit. Beyond my ring, yet another slower moving ring coalesced from passersby, police officers and their groupies. Though on the fringe, they too were powerless over the paralyzing melodies and exhaustless vigor. 

Under a velvet black sky 100% free of clouds and boasting a beautiful view of the heavens, the band erupted into The Ride and stole the glory of the night. Goosebumps from the music and chills from the air, I took my leave. Coasting home, the remaining score escorted my ride with reverberations from building walls while open sky lit my path in flickers of moonlight.