When Esteban and I booked our trip to Sedona, I was thrilled to discover that we’d be here for the total lunar eclipse.

Sedona is wonderful for stargazing. At 4,000 feet, the atmosphere is thinner than in Minnesota, so the stars seem to shine brighter. And because Sedona also has strict light-pollution regulations, you can actually see the night sky. Here’s an example, from last year’s trip:

Alas, I was less than starstruck last night. I awoke at about 2:30 to find the moon directly overhead, but barely visible through the gauzy clouds. By 3:30 — when the eclipse was at its fullest — I couldn’t see the moon at all. Sigh.

Esteban and I have a saying: “At some point, the trip you planned becomes the trip you’re on.”

My astronomical adventure may not have panned out as planned, but that’s OK. I enjoyed standing outside anyway and experiencing the absolute silence of the desert.

And I also enjoyed reminding myself that I’ve already seen a lunar eclipse, in 2008, in my own back yard. For once it’s nice to be able to say, “been there, seen that.”