Stars
According to Wikipedia “a star is a massive, luminous ball of plasma. The nearest star to Earth is the Sun, which is the source of most of the energy on Earth. Other stars are visible in the night sky, when they are not outshone by the Sun. For most of its life, a star shines because thermonuclear fusion in its core releases energy that traverses the star's interior and then radiates into outer space.”
If it were not for our sun, life, as we know it on earth would not exist. Stars have figured large in mythology and religion and have served as directional beacons to navigators.
Beauty
Stars are beautiful to behold. The image to the right shows the group of stars known as the Pleiades or the Seven Sisters or M45. This is an open cluster of stars and the wispy haze involving these blue stars is their light reflecting off remnants of the giant cloud of dust and gas from which these stars formed. This color-composite image of the Pleiades is from the Digitized Sky Survey. Credit: NASA/ESA/AURA/Caltech.
Inspiration
In addition to what humanity has learned about the science of stars we can never underestimate the inspirational value of stars. One or more stars are depicted on the flags of over 50 countries. On June 14, 1777, in order to establish an official flag for the new nation, the Continental Congress passed the first Flag Act: "Resolved, That the flag of the United States be made of thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new Constellation."
So, take the time to view some stars. Let us help you identify a star that you can use to commemorate and celebrate a special person or event.
Cassiopeia