The slow running Merced River lumbers though Yosemite Valley on a dark moonless night. As your eyes adjust to what little light is available the Valley takes on a new perspective under billions of stars. Soon you can hear every sound in the valley as the river murmurs lightly and the tall pines surrounding you whisper in the night. Starlight is your only light source and after some adjustment it seems incredibly bright. Jupiter, the brightest light in the sky seems overwhelming compared to the distant suns and you ponder with all the vistas that exist in the entire universe Yosemite Valley may indeed be the most beautiful sight under a starry sky. After a couple of hours star gazing as the clouds exited Yosemite Valley over the Eastern peaks the cold finally sunk in and it was time to head back to the warmth of the car. Reluctantly I packed up my gear hoping I had captured the mood Yosemite National Park offers to those who stay up late to experience the darkness of the pine forest and the illumination provided by distant suns.