# Saturn's rings after 2001: A Space Odyssey

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Story
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-observatory-saw-saturn-rings
- Themes: wonder, science, youth, astronomy
- Life situations: student life, needing wonder

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

After watching 2001: A Space Odyssey as a student, he cycles with friends to an old Astronomical Society observatory; the dome opens and through the huge telescope they see Saturn with its rings.

## The story, as told by Ajahn Brahm (verbatim captions)

2001 A Space Odyssey is a really freaky film. And after seeing 2001 A Space Odyssey, then I was a member of the Astronomical Society. And they had all these old observatories, just like you see in the movies, these big domes with incredible powerful telescopes. And because I was a member, I told my friends, "Hey, we can just go and have a look." That was no part of being a member. So we cycled and cycled. I was very healthy in those days. Cycled out outside to the observatory. And that was the thing they found Pluto, Uranus on that observatory, but it was just out of date now. But anyway, we got in there, we uh somebody said, "Oh, yes, a really good time." This is 11:00, 12:00 at night after the movie. And they said that you can see Saturn was up there. And so you could go in this this chair and this huge long telescope and just the the hemisphere dome of the observatory would open. And it just had atmosphere. I know there's some people have these tiny telescopes, you can see much more, but that's got no atmosphere. This was like something out of a science fiction movie. You could actually see Saturn with its rings in huge magnification

## Teaching point

Atmosphere beats tiny tech when wonder is the point.

## Reflection (in the spirit of Ajahn Brahm's talk)

Fresh from watching 2001: A Space Odyssey, student Ajahn Brahm cycled with friends to an old observatory. The dome opened and there was Saturn, rings and all, huge in the telescope. He later sat in astrophysics lectures too inspired to take notes. Keep your sense of wonder alive. The universe is vast and astonishing.

## Source

- [The Four Jhanas | Ajahn Brahm | 13 November 2020](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQrqbUc9Jb8) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 12:39 to 14:03: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQrqbUc9Jb8&t=759s