The very first work of its kind, Celebrating the Universe: The Science & Spirituality of Stargazing is a guide to the wonders of the heavens visible to the unaided eye and in binoculars, with a focus on the "soul" of the night sky! This travel guide to the stars is written from a metaphysical and spiritual perspective in additional to a scientific one. The unique unifying theme throughout is the personal benefits of communing with celestial wonders firsthand—the joy and heady excitement of participating in the great cosmic drama unfolding nightly overhead. This involves such little-known aspects of stargazing as therapeutic relaxation, celestial meditation, expansion of consciousness, spiritual contact, and astral travel. Everything the budding stargazer and celestial pilgrim needs for this cosmic journey is contained within this volume, from how to observe the sky . . . to what to see—and why! Covered are the Sun, Moon, and all of the planets; comets, asteroids, meteors, and artificial satellites; variable and exploding stars, colorful double and multiple stars, and glittering star clusters; and eerie glowing nebulae, our majestic Milky Way, and even the remote galaxies. Astronomer and author James Mullaney explores profound concepts such as our heritage as children of the stars (we are made of stardust!) and our cosmic destiny (as citizens of the universe!)—all from an aesthetic viewpoint.