Smart Guide to Stargazing

12. Monitor the weather

Good weather plays a big role in successful and safe skywatching. Most experienced observers turn to a variety of resources to schedule their stargazing evenings, starting with general weather forecasting sites such as Weather Underground, AccuWeather and the Weather Channel. But forecasts can change, of course. “I only trust forecasts for about three days out, max,” says Todd Slisher, executive director of the Sloan Museum of Discovery and Longway Planetarium in Flint, Michigan. Astronomy-focused weather apps and sites include the Astrospheric weather forecasting app for Android and iOS; the free Clear Sky Chart at www.cleardarksky.com/csk; and the Scope Nights app for iOS.

Regardless of the weather, you’re going to be outdoors as the day fades into night. Evenings can get chilly in the wee hours — even in summer. So, wear comfortable, warm clothing and shoes. Bring a jacket, raincoat, hat and gloves.

13. Be prepared by packing well

You want to be as comfortable as possible as you explore the sky. In addition to proper clothing, it’s also nice to have some water (or other beverages), snacks, blankets and a folding lounge chair. (The latter can be especially helpful for older adults, who frequently suffer from balance issues that can worsen when they look up.) Wilson recommends bringing along the “Hot Hands” hand warmers, sold to campers and hikers. “Also bring bug repellent, but beware if it contains DEET. That could damage or mar telescope parts.” Consider a first aid kit and don’t forget trash bags, either.

14. Give your eyes time to adjust

Once you’re set up, let your eyes get used to the dark. The time they take to adapt to darkness depends on your age and their condition. The older you are, the longer it takes, according to research by ophthalmologists; people over 50 might have to wait about 30 minutes for their eyes to adapt. Age also affects contrast vision — that is, the differences in brightness or color between a bright object and the background. So be careful as you move around.

If you can, start stargazing in evening twilight, right after sunset. By the time the sky is really dark, your eyes should be ready. Be careful not to look at your smartphone, tablet or any other light sources during this time or you’ll have to let your eyes adjust to the dark again.

If you need a light source, Wilson suggests that it’s best to use a red-light flashlight or a regular flashlight with a red filter taped over the lens. “I like the ones that come with a headband so you can use it hands-free. Many of these have a single switch to cycle through red and white light. Skip those and look for ones with a separate switch for the red light.”

15. Observe the color and brightness of stars 

Spend some time just watching the sky. As it darkens, you’ll notice the brighter stars and planets pop into view. You might also notice that stars seem to have different colors, which tells you something about their temperatures. Blue and white stars are usually the hottest. Yellow stars, like our sun, are in the midrange of temperatures. Orange and red stars are the coolest.

Some stars appear larger or brighter than others. That could indicate how far they are from Earth, or how big they are. Occasionally you’ll see stars that appear closer to each other. They could be double or triple stars. You’ll also spot larger groupings called “clusters.” Some have a few stars, while others have dozens or hundreds of them. 

16. Get to know the constellations

When you first begin to study the sky, the stars may look randomly scattered. Eventually, though, you’ll notice that they fall into patterns. These are constellations. Every culture on the planet has created stories about the constellations. The ones astronomers use come largely from the Greek and Roman pantheon, with a few exceptions. The sky is divided into 88 official constellations covering both the Northern and Southern hemispheres. Most people learn to find the easiest ones first, including Ursa Major (which contains the Big Dipper). Your star charts and apps will help you identify the ones you see each night. Additionally, the International Astronomical Union has an informative page talking about their origins. And if you go to a “What’s Up Tonight” show at your local planetarium, they almost always include a short constellation segment as well.

17. Check out the moon

Our nearest neighbor is a great object to study. Thanks to the bombardment of meteorites over billions of years, thousands of craters pockmark its surface. Just with the naked eye, you can see the largest craters and plains, such as Mare Serenitatis and Mare Imbrium. (“Mare” is the Latin word for “sea”; early observers thought those large regions on the moon were oceans.)

If you have binoculars, use them to scan the moon to see craters, cracks, mountains and other features. A lunar surface map can help guide your viewing. Both NASA and the United States Geological Survey have high-resolution, interactive maps.

Tracking the moon’s phases over its 28-day cycle can be fascinating. However, keep in mind that the glare of a full moon will block out dimmer nearby objects and mess up your eyes' adaptation to the dark.

18. Identify the planets

Most star charts and apps show where the planets are in the sky. You can observe five from Earth with the unaided eye: Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn. They appear disk-like and do not twinkle like stars. Mercury is closest to the sun and appears near the western horizon after sunset or the eastern horizon before sunrise.

Venus is our nearest neighbor and is often called the “morning” or “evening” star because of when it is visible in the sky. The planet’s thick clouds make it bright and fairly easy to spot. Mars is more distant and looks reddish-colored. Jupiter is also cloud-covered and looks yellowish-white, as does Saturn. If you want to see more features — such as Jupiter’s moons or Saturn’s rings — you’ll need a telescope.  

19. Plan for meteor showers

Meteoroids are bits of dust and rocky debris from asteroids and comets. The debris enters Earth’s atmosphere and vaporizes, creating a glowing streak called a meteor. When Earth plows through a thick stream of this debris, we see meteor showers.

At least a dozen meteor showers occur throughout the year. The best-known ones are the Perseids in mid-July to late August, the Orionids in October and November, and the Geminids in December. Most astronomy apps and charts show the best times and places to see these showers — typically late in the evening or early in the morning. The American Meteor Society tracks sightings of “fireballs” and provides information about showers. 

One thing to remember about these showers: they’re not a heavy “rain” of meteors as often depicted in the media, but you will see more during a shower event than on any given non-shower night. According to Wilson, they’re a good experience for older observers. “I think they're great for seniors if they can get to reasonably dark skies,” he points out. “They're the most relaxing phenomenon to observe! You just need a reclining lawn chair (plus a warm blanket and maybe a pillow) to enjoy them.”

20. Learn stars and their seasons

Each season has its special objects to search out. Experienced skygazers like Wilson have their favorites. “Personal favorites include the Ring Nebula (M57) which was the first [deep-sky object] I learned how to find by star-hopping when I was a teenager just starting out in amateur astronomy with a new 6-inch Newtonian reflector,” he says. “I’m also fond of the Dumbbell Nebula, one of the larger, easier-to-find planetary nebulas. Last, but not least, the Lagoon Nebula (M8) in Sagittarius.”

The winter skies of the Northern Hemisphere offer such sights as the Orion Nebula, a star-birthing region in the constellation Orion. In late autumn, look for the Andromeda galaxy — the closest spiral galaxy to our Milky Way. It’s visible with the unaided eye if you’re at a dark-sky site.

Robin Byrne, an associate professor of astronomy at Tennessee’s Northeast State Community College,  especially searches out the Andromeda galaxy because it is 2.5 million light-years away from Earth. “I love the thought of how long the light has been traveling before hitting my retina,” she says.

There’s also the Pleiades star cluster, which contains hundreds of young stars traveling together through interstellar space. In the spring, the Big Dipper is more prominent. Look at its handle to see the double stars Alcor and Mizar. In the summer, you can get a fantastic view of the center of our own Milky Way galaxy. It lies in between the constellations Scorpius and Sagittarius. Nearby, you will find the red star Antares at the heart of the constellation Scorpius. All these objects and more appear in star charts and astronomy apps.

21. Can’t get away? City stargazing is possible

Contrary to popular belief, you can stargaze from the middle of town as long as you’re away from direct lights shining in your eyes. In the city, you’ll be able to see the brightest stars, and you may be able to see some of the constellations. 

The moon is another great target, as are the bright planets Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn. However, the glare does wipe out your view of dimmer objects such as nebulae or galaxies. Don’t give up, though: You can head for the suburbs, suggests NASA astronomer Preston Dyches, who has written a guide to searching out stargazing sites on his NASA web page. 

22. Don’t let vision problems stop you

Some eye conditions, such as cataracts, dim your view and diffuse the light from stars so that they don’t look point-like. But there are workarounds that allow people with impaired vision to enjoy astronomy. Modern computerized telescopes from companies such as Seestar, Unistellar and Vaonis can transmit what they capture to a tablet or smartphone, where the images can be enlarged and enhanced for easier viewing. 

Other telescopes can be hooked up to a computer so users can see the images. These all allow people with vision problems to enjoy the view, according to Noreen Grice, founder of You Can Do Astronomy, a company focused on making astronomy more accessible. It’s even possible to get a good view by taking a photo through a telescope’s eyepiece with a cellphone, she says. In that same vein, NASA hosts a project called “Touch the Cosmos” — tactile maps of the night sky that can be produced by a 3-D printer. Find it by searching for “touch the cosmos” at science.nasa.gov.

23. Explore the deep sky

Of course, stars and planets aren’t the only things to explore in the night sky. You can also search out more deep-sky objects. These are celestial bodies that lie beyond the solar system. Most are too faint to see without binoculars or a telescope. Two famous ones in the Northern Hemisphere sky are the Lagoon Nebula and the Ring Nebula.

In addition to nebulae, you can observe star clusters throughout the year, many visible to the unaided eye. The most popular (and easily found) are the Pleiades and the Hyades (in the constellation Taurus) in the autumn and winter. In spring and summer, look for the Hercules star cluster (in the Hercules constellation) and another smaller one called Messier 4, near the red star Antares in the constellation Scorpius.

Explore our own Milky Way galaxy, too. Sometimes people mistake it for a rain cloud, but — like other galaxies — it’s really a cloud of billions of stars. We’re seeing it from our vantage point inside the galaxy.

24. Record your observations

Taking notes during your stargazing sessions can help you remember what you’ve seen or flag objects you want to observe again. Include sketches in your notes.

With the advent of computer notebooks and smartphones, it’s easy to make quick notes in the field. If that’s not your fancy, you can quickly look up objects while you’re observing to understand what you see. 

Byrne regularly teaches her students the rudiments of observing the night sky. “I used to require observing logs,” she says, “but now it’s extra credit, and can include non-sky-observing things like going to a planetarium show or reviewing online videos.” Some amateur astronomers go after specific objects, such as galaxies, and make detailed notes and drawings. Others look for planets and take notes about, for example, the positions of Jupiter’s moons on a given night or how the tilt of Saturn’s rings changes over time.

If you have a small telescope, consider participating in a Messier Marathon and taking notes as you observe. This marathon is composed of deep-sky objects found in a list compiled by the 18th-century astronomer Charles Messier. They’re all visible from the Northern Hemisphere, and during March and April, they can all be spotted in a single night.

25. Become a citizen scientist

Once you get the hang of observing, consider participating in a Citizen Science Project. It's a rapidly growing pastime that involves regular folks in some pretty serious astronomy research, according to SUNY’s Valerie Rapson. “Websites like Zooniverse that allow people to do real scientific analysis with minimal training are getting very popular,” she says. “People love to participate in the astronomy activities there and really appreciate that their efforts are contributing to real scientific analysis. I am also a participant in the Exoplanet Watch community, an informal collaboration of amateur and professional astronomers who take telescope data to study planets around other stars. People of all ages are happy to take data and contribute to the project."

Other citizen science projects can be found at NASA, Sky & Telescope , and SciStarter.

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GET A CLOSER VIEW

26. Use binoculars to explore the sky

Eventually, every stargazer wants to get a more detailed look. You may have good stargazing equipment already, in the form of binoculars stashed away in a closet. Use them to explore the stars, planets, the moon and deep-sky objects. They work equally well in light-polluted areas or dark-sky sites, and they’re easy to transport and use.

With a pair of binoculars and your handy star chart or app as reference, you’ll be able to spot many celestial objects. According to MacRobert, even a 7×35 power set of binoculars at a good dark-sky site will take you from viewing 3,000 stars with your naked eye to a magnified view of 100,000 stars.

27. Understand binocular specifications

The first number in binocular specifications is the magnification (or power) of the binoculars. The higher the number, the more the lenses magnify the view: If the number is 10, for example, the binoculars make an object look 10 times bigger than when viewed with the naked eye. Keep in mind that the higher magnification also means a more unstable view. 

The second number is the aperture, which is the size, in millimeters, of those larger lenses facing the stars. The higher that number, the brighter the objects you’re viewing will appear. To give you an idea of cost, a good 7×50 pair of binoculars with quality optics will run you under $100; larger models will cost more, as will those with built-in image stabilization. Consider borrowing a pair to see how well they work for you before spending your money. Some popular brands are Celestron, Canon, Nikon, Zeiss and Pentax.

28. Gotta have a telescope? Understand the basics 

It’s not absolutely necessary to have a telescope, especially when you’re getting started. Once you have some stargazing experience, however, a telescope will help you explore interesting targets in more detail.

Before you invest in a telescope, look through other people’s instruments at star parties (always ask permission first). If you bring kids or grandkids along, have them look, too. It’ll help you set your preferences. Astronomy.com and skyandtelescope.com have useful guides for first-time buyers. According to a recent article from Space.com, expect to spend between a couple hundred to a couple thousand dollars on a quality beginner’s telescope in 2025.

Wilson always advises beginners to check out local stores and read the magazines as part of their education. “Talk to telescope owners about why they chose a particular telescope and what advantages and disadvantages it offers,” he advises. “You can also consult the website cloudynights.com, where you can find legitimate equipment reviews by amateur astronomers.”

Avoid cheap telescopes with wobbly mounts. They start showing up around the holidays advertised as great presents. However, unless they’re well-made, they’re going to end up in the closet pretty quickly.

29. Go beyond the basics with telescopes

There are two basic telescope types: refractors and reflectors. A refractor has a lens to focus light from an object into the eyepiece. A reflector gathers light from the object onto a concave mirror at the bottom of the scope.  

Magnification is a term that gets exaggerated in sales literature, so beware of telescopes with fantastic claims about “power” rather than optics or other features.

Some stargazers like manually guided telescopes, which don’t require electricity, while others prefer computerized telescopes that automatically find objects in the sky, which need a power source. Some telescopes are easy to transport, while others are bigger and more difficult to haul around.

TAKE IT FURTHER

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30. Try astrophotography

People have been photographing the sky since 1840, when astronomer John William Draper captured the moon on a daguerreotype. Today, most of us have good cameras built into our smartphones, or own stand-alone digital cameras. With a tripod and a bit of practice, you can use them to capture images of the moon, planets, the Milky Way, comets, meteors and even the northern lights. Later on, you can invest in other digital cameras to fit your telescope. Ask about them at star parties. There will probably be at least one serious astrophotographer taking pictures of their favorite objects.

31. Take a class, or two

Older Americans can audit beginning astronomy courses in person at many colleges and universities at low (or no) cost. You can also go online and take web-based astronomy courses — some for a fee and others for free. Check out the free courses at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s OpenCourseWare site (ocw.mit.edu). Coursera.org also offers them, as does My MOOC (my-mooc.com).