This is the 9827th most frequent Japanese word.
見上げる
"To look up" or "to gaze upward."
In this sentence, the term '見上げる' is used literally, meaning 'to look up' towards the night sky.
夜空を見上げると、たくさんの星が輝いていた。
When I looked up at the night sky, many stars were shining.
Here, '見上げる' is used figuratively, implying 'to admire' someone due to their impressive qualities.
彼の立派な人柄に心から見上げる思いです。
I truly admire his excellent character.
In this context, '見上げる' describes the physical action of looking upwards, typically due to relative height difference.