#HTE

Stargazing in Autumn… Or in the Mail

It’s late October, the internet is in peril, the political world is a tiring tire fire, and it’s getting cold and crappy outside. I have two solutions, and only one involves going outside. This week is a high peak in visibility of the the Orionid meteor shower, if you live in the northern hemisphere and can get away from city lights. The Orionids are a long gentle meteor shower caused by leftover dust from the tail of Halley’s comet hitting our atmosphere as we pass it on our annual arc around the sun. Though Halley’s comet is a rare occurrence, its old debris kicks up a pretty storm near the Orion constellation every year from around Oct. 20 to Nov. 7. 

Exact times for ideal watching differ, but if you pour some hot chocolate in a thermos, put yourself into several jackets and head out after 11pm you’re nearly guaranteed to see some beautiful zinging lights. 

If you’re cold-averse, unwilling to leave the safety of street lights, clouded out, or generally not thrilled by the astronomical wonders that surround you—maybe cool stationery is your speed. These envelopes were designed by Japanese art student, Moe Tsukada, as a way to bring a little natural wonder to the indoor practice of letter writing. 

The double layered envelope allows light to filter in with a distinctly twinkly appearance, giving the viewer a nice surprise when they peer inside. The pack comes with a light constellation print outside and instructions in Japanese and English. After submitting the prototype to a design competition, and winning, the starry sky envelop got abducted (peacefully) by the paper goods company, Kaminokousakujo. They’re now on offer over at Spoon and Tamago, ready to share with a city slicker friend who needs a little escape.