Go stargazing

Stargazing costs nothing and takes no skill, and it makes an evening feel much bigger than it was. You go somewhere dark, lie on a blanket and look up. The best of the stargazing tips below is to be patient, because the sky changes the longer you stay.

Pick the night

You need two things: a clear sky and a dark one.

• Clear. Check the forecast for cloud cover. Look for a night with few or no clouds, and check an hour or two before you leave, because forecasts change.
• Dark. Look up the moon phase. A bright moon washes out faint stars, so the best nights are around a new moon, as the catalogue says. A thin crescent is fine, and a full moon is lovely but washes out the rest.
• Still. Wind makes it feel much colder. A calm night is much more comfortable.

Go at least an hour after sunset, when the sky is properly dark. In fall, that comes early, which means you can still be home at a normal time.

Find a dark spot

City and street lights flood the sky with glow, which hides the stars. Look for:

• A park, field, beach, lakeshore or hilltop well outside the city
• Somewhere with a wide view of the sky, not blocked by tall trees or buildings
• Somewhere you can reach safely, and ideally in daylight beforehand
• A place that’s open at night: some parks close at sunset, so check before you drive

Parks and rural areas sometimes have dark-sky designations or stargazing nights, and local astronomy clubs often hold public sessions. If you’re alone, or it’s your first time, choose a place that’s easy to reach and has other people around.

Safety first

• Take a friend, as the catalogue says. It’s more fun and it’s safer.
• Tell someone where you’re going and when you’ll be back.
• Bring a flashlight, and charge your phone. Keep a red light if you have one, because it protects your night vision.
• Park properly, and don’t stand or lie near a road.
• Dress warmly. Clear nights are the coldest.
• Keep animals in mind. Don’t go into dense woods in the dark, and stay on open ground.

What to wear and bring

You’ll be lying still, so you’ll get colder than you expect.

• A thick coat, a hat, gloves and warm socks
• Thermal layers, or leggings under pants
• A blanket to lie on, and a second one to cover you. A foam pad or a sleeping bag works too.
• A thermos of something hot, and a snack
• Binoculars, if you have them. Even a cheap pair shows many more stars, and the moon’s craters.
• A stargazing app, to name what you see. Use it with the screen dimmed.

Let your eyes adjust

This is the most important thing to know. Your eyes need about 20 minutes in the dark to adjust, and the stars keep appearing for longer.

1. Turn off your flashlight, and keep your phone away.
2. If you have to use your phone, set it to night mode with the lowest brightness, or use a red light.
3. Lie back, relax, and look at the whole sky, not one spot.
4. After 15 or 20 minutes, notice how many more stars you see.

One trick: look slightly to the side of a faint star, rather than straight at it. It shows up better.

What to look for

You don’t need a telescope. With your eyes alone, you may see:

• The brightest stars and planets. Planets shine steadily rather than twinkling. An app will tell you which are out tonight.
• Constellations. Pick one or two to start. Find a famous one, like the Big Dipper, and use it to find the others.
• Satellites. Slow, steady dots moving across the sky. The International Space Station is a bright, fast one, and apps and NASA sites list when it passes over you.
• Shooting stars. A few can be seen on any clear night, and meteor showers produce more. The Orionids usually peak in late October. Allow your eyes to adjust, and look at a wide patch of sky.
• The Milky Way, in a truly dark place. It looks like a faint cloud.

If something goes wrong

• It clouds over. Wait a little: gaps often open. If not, go home and try again another night. Keep a backup date.
• The moon is too bright. Go later or choose another night. Or just look at the moon with binoculars.
• You can’t see much. Your eyes may not have adjusted, or there may be too much light around. Move somewhere darker, and give it longer.
• You’re freezing. Add a layer, drink something hot and stand up and move around for a minute. Next time, bring a second blanket.

Make it a fall evening

Pack a thermos of hot chocolate, a blanket and a friend, and make an evening of it. Stay for at least an hour: the sky will look different by then. It pairs well with an overnight camping trip, where a dark sky is right outside your tent. Or take a few s’mores in a bag and eat them under the stars.