Sweltering summer days bring, mercifully, temperate summer nights, and with them a bevy of possibilities for you and your weed stash. We live on a planet obsessed with progress, technology, and what’s new, but when was the last time you stopped to smell the flowers or look at the stars? Whether you live in a bustling city or a cozy town, there will always be a rooftop or grassy field nearby to lie back and marvel at Mother Nature’s cosmos. 

Recently, NASA released the first images from their swanky new James Webb telescope cameras, and man—they are something else. In unparalleled quality, nebulas now look like brooding amoebas, and swaths of deep space resemble desert mountains or a set from the new Thor film. Seriously, I didn’t know that swirling galaxies millions of lightyears away could be pink, or that I could gaze upon a meteor and see the texture as clear as the pimples on my teenaged face. I get why Matthew McConaughey and Buzz Lightyear would risk a devastating time warp now.   

How amazing would these images look with some inspiration from weed? What I wouldn’t give to share a joint with Neil deGrasse Tyson and pontificate about what it all means. He’s probably busy, so in the meantime, here are some of the best strains that suit a night out staring at the stars, or perusing pictures of planets and universes still beyond our understanding.

Space Queen

I, for one, have never forgotten the power of Space Queen. She’s not only a heady hybrid of Romulan and Cindy 99—both trippy, cerebral stains in their own right—she tastes good too! She’ll have you marveling at the depth of hues and scope of the stars, then wondering if aliens really did build the Egyptian pyramids.

Cat Piss

Do not let the name fool you—smoking this strain always makes me feel like I am blasting off to Pluto. As a pheno of Super Silver Haze, Cat Piss gives you the same buzzing euphoria and introspection from its Haze and Northern Lights parents, just stinkier. If you don’t mind the ammonia smell, this is a Neil Armstrong experience.

Northern Lights

If sativas aren’t your thing, Northern Lights is an excellent catalyst for wondering: ‘But, like, what is a black hole?’ This is a true indica made from some of the best landrace strains to grace Earth—the perfect companion for astral projecting to Neptune and seeing the northernmost lights that human technology allows.

White Widow

White Widow has been around since the ‘90s, and she endures because she makes us feel so damn good. She’s cerebral without inducing anxiety, and I’ve had some of the best contemplative conversations and joyful movie nights thanks to packing her in the bowl.     

Runtz

We know you love Runtz for its candy-coated terps and intense intoxication without the fatigue, but it can also inspire a new interest in meteor showers, red dwarves, and milky ways. Why else do you think it’s found its way into half a dozen rap songs?       

Supernova

Formerly known as “Chronic,” Supernova is an indica-hybrid that has been immortalized forever in stoner culture canon with Dr. Dre’s 1992 debut album of the same name. A supernova is a star exploding at the end of its life; your brain will do the same as you trace the sky’s constellations.  

Durban Poison

I warn you, this is not for a casual gazing session—Durban Poison is a full-throttle wormhole of a strain. This is a sativa for tracking shooting stars, though whether they’re really out there or just in your head is anyone’s guess. I think if Jupiter was a strain, and not a giant planet of toxic gas, it would be this one.

Bruce Banner

Don’t worry, you do not need to fight an infinity way or defeat Thanos to enjoy this hybrid. But Bruce Banner’s marvelous creative qualities pair smoothly with our galaxy and the next. You may just develop a hulking obsession with the stars.

Amelia Williams

New York-based freelance cannabis journalist Amelia Williams is a graduate of San Francisco State University’s journalism program, and a former budtender. Williams has contributed to the San Francisco Chronicle’s GreenState, MG Magazine, Culture Magazine, and Cannabis Now, Kirkus Reviews, and The Bold Italic.

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