As the global North passes through its Winter solstice and celebrates the return of light, this image from the 1960s by Jewish American street photographer Joel Meyerowitz conveys both nostalgia for holiday traditions and a glowing sense of hope for the future. Meyerowitz imbues ordinary scenes with mysterious qualities. Here, a Cadillac covered in snow at an airport parking lot is elevated to something mystical by the Christmas star decoration glowing above the still scene and illuminating the darkness.
The bright star in Meyerowitz's photograph resonates during this year's solstice. Tonight, the planets Jupiter and Saturn will form "the great conjunction," as they pass incredibly close to one another in the night sky. To the naked eye, the two planets will appear to (almost) combine and form the brightest star in the sky. Though similar conjunctions happen every two decades, it will be the first time observers on Earth have been able to see the two planets this close together in nearly 400 years.
Reflection Prompts:
- What portions of Meyerowitz's photo do you relate to most? Is it the snow-covered car that obviously hasn't gone anywhere in a while? Is it the parking lot, which doesn't seem to be hosting many guests at the moment? Or maybe the star, glowing strongly, defiantly against the darkness?
- No one alive today was around in 1623, the last time Jupiter and Saturn formed the Great Conjunction. Will you attempt to see this historic event for yourself? How does the rarity of some celestial events alter their impact and our collective interpretation of their meanings?
