Space is interesting, and the power that goes on in the sky is amazing, when you think about it. A recent Discovery article about black holes got me to contemplating on how often we take the sky for granted and how little people tend to know about what's going on in the heavens.

Black holes, for example, eat planets and stars, spitting out nothing but dust and some leftover matter. Imagine the Earth swirling just a little too close to one and getting sucked in, never to be seen again. Improbable, sure, but a daunting thought just the same.

That we don't really control the life we have gives me greater appreciation for the heavens above. It also makes me smile at the little things in life, such as when my youngest daughter marvels at the first star in the sky. She reaches a tiny hand to try and catch it, disappointed when she can't quite reach - yet. She fully believes that, one day, she'll be able to fly.

In the face of such wonder and magic, the terrifying image of dark vacuums that suck in matter are forgotten. I show my daughter another star, pointing out that it's the tale end of a snake. There are three more over there; does she see how the stars form a hunter's belt? The hunter has a name, too …

Learning about the mythical stories of constellations is a marvel for children and a pleasure for me to teach. I remember driving home one night with a teen in the passenger seat, topping a hill on the road only to have the starry, clear sky spread open as we descended.

I stopped the car … much to the teen's surprise - and got out to stare at the sky, pointing out each constellation I knew. The Big Dipper, of course, Orion, Libra … There was the North Star, there was Cassiopeia.  The girl was hooked in an instant, a whole new world opened up above her, its story painted across the sky.

Stargazing is a fantastic activity for summer months. Download a star map from the Internet, set up some lawn chairs in the backyard, and you have everything you need. For a whole evening event, start a small campfire, roast some wieners and marshmallows, and then as the fire dies down to glowing coals, turn faces to the sky and behold.

If your family loves ghost stories and a shiver, you could always tell them about black holes that could swallow the Earth …

Posted by Louise.

Louise writes for Creative And Unique Gift Ideas.