Stargaze Tonight

“At night, when the sky is full of stars and the sea is still, you get the wonderful sensation that you are floating in space.”

- Natalie Woods -

• What planets can I see tonight?



• What constellations can I see tonight?



• Virtually See The Night




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Light Pollution


• According to The International Dark-Sky Association (IDA,) light Pollution is 'the inappropriate or excessive use of artificial light.' Our modern lifestyle, while convenient, prevents us from fully enjoying the night sky, making it more difficult to spot constellations, distant stars, or even seeing the Milky Way.
  
  To learn more about light pollution, visit The International Dark-Sky Association.
  
  
  
Stargazing Tips and Advice

Most planning for stargazing you can intuit for yourself, such as knowing what stars, planets and constellations you'll be looking for, as well as bringing the appropriate clothing, footwear, chairs, snacks and etc. for being outdoors at night. This list will include some additional items to make stargazing a little easier:



• Red Flashlight
  
  
  Allowing your eyes to adjust to the darkness will help with spotting stars and planets. However, it can also mean some difficulty when it comes to finding anything you might need in the darkness. A red flashlight will allow you to find the item rather than sifting through your things blindly or disrupting your dark-acclimated eyes with a typical flashlight.
  To learn more about allowing your vision to adjust to the darkness, you can visit Wikipedia.




• Binoculars/Telescopes
  
  
  While you can make out some stars and planets without the use of specific equipment, binoculars can be great for spotting distant stars. They're great for beginners because they are easy to use, affordable and very portable. Downsides to using binoculars is the lack of stability and lack of magnification.
  
  Telescopes tend to be a popular choice when it comes to viewing the sky due to their stability, allowing consistent viewing, and it's ability to see farther. you to see even farther. The downside with telescope usage tends to be the high price points and portability (most telescopes are meant to be traveled with, but they require a stable surface for consistent viewing).
  
  When viewing stars, it may be better to start with binoculars. As your interest and commitment grow, investing in a telescope would be a natural next step.
  
  To learn more about information and to better compare binoculars and telescopes, you can visit OpticsMag.




• Green Laser Pointers
  
  
  If you happen to be with a group or a few other people, a green laser pointer can make it easier to help others spot constellations, planets and stars. While green laser pointers can make it easier to find distant items, please note that they can be quite dangerous to use.
  
  
  Never point it at another person or animal, even if the laser is off.
  
  Never point it at a moving object in the sky, even if you're sure it's not a plane.
  
  Only point out objects if you are absolutely certain that nothing will come to harm.
  
  
  To learn more, visit the Te Awamutu Space Centre.





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How Do I Start?



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Coded by Yellowbird 🐤