Changing seasons

I had to catch an early flight for a business trip a couple of days ago. Walking out of my front door at 4am, I glanced up in the sky to see Orion on prominent display. Living in Northern California, I have always thought of Orion as a late winter constellation and so was shocked (and very pleasantly surprised) to see it there in the sky. Unfortunately I didn't have time to get the telescope out, but it did get me thinking about how I have become more aware of the changing seasons since having a telescope for the last year: the movement of the summer triangle across the sky, the slow descent of the Big Dipper towards the horizon, the emergence of Cassiopeia from behind the large tree in my back yard, the descent of Scorpius and then Sagittarius into the evening twilight and the steady march of Jupiter across the sky are but a few examples of note. I have always been a strong believer that an understanding of astronomy, and more specifically cosmology, gives one a unique and fascinating perspective on the insignificance of our position in the universe. However I have found the motion of the constellations and planets through the night sky to be in many ways a more tangible, enjoyable and profound experience. This is truly something that should be taught in elementary school, and experienced by everyone.