I love the constellation Orion. I think one reason is that it is just so easy to recognize. Those three distinct stars in a straight line that are topped by the other three stars that make his shoulders and club. I've since learned that Orion has the stars Betelgeuse and Rigel. But, mostly, I associate it with fond memories.
Whenever I see Orion, I am transported back to childhood. I remember seeing this constellation whenever we left the house in the winter because it would be dark by 5:30 and those bright stars lined up distinguished themselves from the millions of other stars that were visible. If we were leaving the house to get in the car after dark in the winter, it would for something fun like a Christmas party at the church, or going to town to the movies. When I was a teen, my sister and I were driving the car to the high school for a basketball game and the dance afterward.
Even the not-so-fun events that brought me outside would feature Orion in the winter. After we milked the first dozen cows, they were ready to be walked out of the barn and let out the gate to return to their sleeping shed. Then, we'd herd another dozen into the stalls where they'd get their evening grain treat and we'd wash and milk them. After that, we'd get the last remaining "bunch" of six or eight, and we'd be-finally-on the downhill slope of the nightly chore. But each time we'd change bunches, it meant going outside to stand under the black vault of the night sky that was filled with glittering stars. And Orion was what you noticed when you stepped out there because our barn door opened to the south. When you're out of the city, the sky is the most prominent feature. Most of your vision is filled with sky. And there it was--the first group of stars that were visible as the darkness settled in and it remained the most prominent as the evening went on.
This week was my first sighting of Orion. I went out one night to soak in the hot tub just before bed, and I settled in with a sigh and looked up at the heavens. Just peering over the edge of the roof, I saw it--the three stars of the belt and the triangle over top. I knew that winter was on the way. It might seem incongruous that here in the city synonymous with Bright Lights, that I was enjoying the stars, but that's what I do while I'm lolling in the warm waters each night. We're on the far eastern edge of town, right next to a big rocky mountain. On the other side of that mountain is Lake Mead National Recreation Area and there are no lights out there. So, we get to star gaze in our own back yard. Now mind you, it's nothing like the Wyoming sky of my childhood. I can only see the most prominent constellations. But, I can see them, and it is one of the little joys of my day. So, when you step outside after dark for the next few months, look up and salute The Hunter. Apparently, throughout history, lots of civilizations have been fascinated by my old friend.
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