The night sky is alive with so many wonderful things, from stars and constellations to planets and comets. You can explore them all from your own back yard. Learning to stargaze is very simple. To begin, you'll only need three basic pieces of equipment.
You can see from around 6000 to 8000 stars with your naked eyes, depending on how dark your viewing area is. A pair of binoculars will allow you to see thousands of additional stars. You can purchase binoculars in any major department or sporting goods store. Get a pair that fit your hands, and aren't too heavy for you to hold.
A planisphere, or a star chart will help you locate constellations. A planisphere is a rotating star finder, consisting of a piece of plastic over a star chart with dates and times on the side. You can buy one at a bookstore or science store. Star charts can be found in any astronomy magazine, in books, or you can find an interactive star chart at www.skyandtelescope.com.
You should also have a flashlight with red cellophane taped over the light. Bright lights interfere with the ability of your eyes to adapt to the dark; red light illuminates your star chart without affecting your vision.
Choose a clear moonless night for your first stargazing attempt. Study your star chart or planisphere during the day. Find the major stars and constellations that will be visible that night and become familiar with them.
Go outside after dark and sit in a chair for about fifteen to twenty minutes. This allows your eyes to adapt to the dark. Avoid looking at lights during this time. Shut off your security light if you have one on; try to find the darkest place with the least lighting in your yard to stargaze from.
As your eyes adapt to the dark, you will notice that you can now see more stars. Take out your star chart or planisphere, and follow the directions to align it properly. Line it up in the direction you are facing, and begin studying the chart. Look up into the sky and try to match up any bright stars with your chart. When you do, find the constellation the star is in and trace it on the chart. Match up the stars in the night sky. Use your binoculars to locate the fainter stars in the pattern. When you can match the stars in the sky to the ones on the chart, you've identified your first constellation. Study the constellation until it becomes familiar to you; look down, then back up at the sky and find it again. Once you are completely familiar with it, congratulate yourself: you are on your way to becoming an experienced stargazer.
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