Stargazing in New Zealand

STARGAZING IN NEW ZEALAND

Collected in a transit van
the Japanese astronomer
takes us out of the village
and across two rutted fields
to his tiny observatory.

It is a clear, cold evening;
the heavens are looking beautiful;
we are shown the stars
as they appear before our naked eyes.

He points out the constellations
and the planets, Jupiter and Saturn;
deep inside the milky way
helps us to clearly see
the position of the Southern Cross.

Whilst observing the sky
we catch site of the Mir spaceship
one week before it is due to
splash down somewhere in the sea
between here and Chile.

Inside the observatory
a large telescope is trained on Jupiter.
Through it we can plainly view
swirling gas clouds and four moons
one to the norwest;
three almost in a so'west line.

Outside in the field
smaller telescopes are set up.
we behold Saturn,
its magnificent rings resplendent.
All I can say is
"Wow!"

We also look closely
at the Jewel-box constellation
and the Orion nebulae.

Reluctantly
we return to the warmth
of our lakeside lodge
dreaming of uncountable stars.

© Gerald England

Composed: Gee Cross, 3rd August 2001

Publications

2002 ROMANIAN CONTEMPORARY ASTROPOETRY 2002 (Bucharest, SARM)
2006 NHI (Internet)
2006 Curlew (UK)

*****
PRIVIND LA STELE IN NOUA ZEELANDA

Suntem culesi intr-un camion de tranzit.
Astronomul japonez ne poarta in afara satului
si ne traverseaza doua campuri imperechiate
catre micul sau observator.

Este o seara senina si rece;
cerul arata frumos;
suntem expusi stelelor,
cum si ele apar inaintea ochilor nostri nuzi.

Astronomul puncteaza constelatiile
si planetele, Jupiter si Saturn;
adanc inauntrul Caii Lactee
ne ajuta sa vedem clar
pozitia Crucii Sudului.

In timp ce observam cerul,
prindem si site-ul statiei Mir
cu o saptamana inainte de cuvenita-i
prabusire in mare
intre aici si Chile.

Inauntrul observatorului,
un telescop mare este fixat pe Jupiter.
Prin el putem vedea deschis
nori de gaz invartejati si patru luni,
una spre nord-vest
si trei aproape de linia sud-vestului.

In afara campului
sunt fixate telescoape mai mici.
Observam Saturnul
si magnificele-i inele stralucitoare.
Tot ce pot spune este
"Wow!"

Privim de asemenea indeaproape
constelatia Cutia cu Diamante
si nebuloasa lui Orion.

Fara convingere
ne intoarcem la caldura
casutei noastre de langa lac,
visand stele nenumarate.

GERALD ENGLAND

(versiunea romaneasca de Andrei Dorian Gheorghe)

Publications

2001 SARM-news (Romania)
2006 NHI (Internet)