Tuesday evening, Ahnika took us stargazing beneath the breathtakingly dark skies of Grand Teton National Park. She brought out her pride and joy, an 8-inch Celestron telescope equipped with computer control and WiFi. Within minutes she had programmed it to glide to specific coordinates in the sky, finding objects that would have taken us ages to locate by hand.
We saw Saturn, its tiny golden rings crisp and clear. We viewed the Andromeda Galaxy, glowing faintly like a distant cloud. We looked at a binary star system and several beautiful star clusters, each one a glittering pocket of the universe. Ahnika used a bright green laser pointer to trace shapes and constellations overhead, her voice confident as she guided us through the night sky.
The temperature was in the twenties, but we were layered up and ready for it. She set up two folding chairs for Aaron and me, gave us super warm blankets, and handed us hot cider in travel cups. The steam curled up into the cold air as we sat in the quiet, looking up at the Milky Way, a soft, hazy river of light crossing the sky. Every few minutes, a shooting star streaked across, quick and silent, and we all gasped like kids again.
It’s hard to describe how proud we are of her. Ahnika moved to a place she had never been before, built a life for herself, and found a way to turn her passion for science and nature into work that inspires others. She now leads both wildlife and stargazing safaris, navigating through the parks and the constellations with equal confidence. Watching her in her element, smart, brave, and doing what she loves, was one of the most beautiful experiences of our trip.
Under that vast Wyoming sky, surrounded by mountains and starlight, we couldn’t help but feel small in the best possible way.
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