Fascinated by the universe and the night sky? But don’t know where to start? This quick-guide will help you on your way! In three steps, you will learn the basics of stargazing. You’ll get to know the night sky, discover what you can see, and find out how to prepare for a perfect night under the stars. Let’s get started!
- Step 1: Get to know the night sky
- Step 2: Discover what you can see
- Step 3: Prepare well
Step 1: get to know the night sky
If you go on vacation to an unfamiliar place, you start by getting to know the surroundings. For this, you use maps or an app, and you try to find out if you can recognize things around you that you also see on the map. This is called orienting yourself. Getting to know the night sky works in much the same way. Only instead of orienting yourself on Earth, you orient yourself on what you can see above you.
Finding your way in the night sky
The first time you look up at the night sky can be an overwhelming experience, especially if you are in a dark location. So many stars! How do you find your way among all those hundreds of twinkling lights?
A perfect way to start orienting yourself is by finding the Big Dipper or Plough, which is part of the constellation Ursa Major. The Big Dipper is formed by seven fairly bright stars, making it easy to recognize. You can see it from mid-northern latitudes (North America, Europe) in clear weather every night, all night long.
The Big Dipper can be seen from mid-norhtern latitudes in clear weather every night
The Big Dipper or Plough can be found in different positions in the sky. Sometimes it’s close to the horizon, and at other times it is located directly overhead. Therefore, especially in the beginning, it can be quite a challenge to find it. But keep in mind that the Big Dipper is always visible in a clear sky from mid-northern latitudes: you can always spot it somewhere. And the more experience you have in locating the Big Dipper, the quicker you are able to find it.
The next step in your orientation in the night sky is finding the North Star or Polaris. The North Star is also always visible from large parts of North America and Europe, and it is always located in the north. Once you have found the North Star, you’ll know where north is, and consequently where east, south, and west are as well. An easy trick to find the North Star is by using the Big Dipper. You can learn about this trick here.
Stars and constellations
The Big Dipper is part of Ursa Major or Great Ber. Ursa Major is a constellation. Constellations are patterns of stars. The stars of most constellations don’t belong together in reality; sometimes they are at vastly different distances from each other in the universe. But as viewed from Earth, they seem to form a figure or object that we recognize as something familiar to us.
The stars of most constellations don’t belong together in reality
In some constellations, you can easily recognize the figure they are named after: in the constellation Leo the lion, you can indeed see a reclining lion. And Cygnus the swan, for example, looks a lot like a magnificent flying bird in the sky. There are officially 88 constellations, but not all of them are visible from the northern hemisphere.
An important step in learning how to find your way in the night sky is recognizing the constellations. This turns out to be trickier than you think! The lines that so easily connect the stars on star charts and in apps are evidently not present in the night sky. And not all constellations are visible every night.
Bright stars can also help you find the constellations. So, when you step outside in the evening, first try to spot a few bright stars. These will then guide you: Sirius is the brightest star in the constellation Canis Major (Greater Dog), Arcturus is part of the constellation Boötes (Herdsman), Vega is in the constellation Lyra, and Capella is the brightest star in Auriga (Charioteer).
A good app or star chart that shows the constellations can help you recognize the stellar patterns of the constellations and the brightest stars.
The movement of the night sky
If you spend some time watching the stars on a clear night, you’ll notice that they slowly move. A bright star that you initially saw in the south will be in the west a few hours later. It’s not the stars themselves that are moving, but the rotation of the Earth that you’re observing. The Earth rotates around its axis once every 24 hours. That’s why we always see the Sun and the Moon rise in the east and set in the west. Just like all the stars, by the way. As the Earth rotates, we see different sections of the night sky. So if we are outside for a while, we see the sky slowly change. Keep this in mind as you get to know the sky: what the night sky looks like at the beginning of the evening is different from a few hours later.
Our app Nightshift (Android) helps you get to know the night sky. With the help of the app, you can see what the sky looks like from your location for any evening and which bright stars are visible. The app is free, download it here!
Step 2: Discover what you can see
Now that you have become familiar with different stars and constellations and can orient yourself in the night sky, it’s time for the next step: finding out what is visible on the nights when you want to go stargazing.
The night sky in all seasons
Besides the Earth rotating around its own axis, the Earth also orbits the Sun. The Earth completes exactly one orbit in a year. During that year, we see different parts of the night sky, because from Earth, we are looking in different directions into the universe. Each season, therefore, has its own characteristic constellations, which are clearly visible during that season. You can recognize the season by the night sky!
Each season has its own characteristic constellations, which are clearly visible during that season
The night sky of the spring is characterized by the constellations Cancer, Leo, and Virgo. The Big Dipper or Plough can be found almost directly overhead. In the evening, we can spot the bright star Arcturus in the east. Pay attention to the color of this star, it is very clearly orange!
High in the night sky of the summer, we see the constellations Lyra and Cygnus. The brightest stars of these two constellations (Vega and Deneb) form a triangle with another bright star: Altair. Together, these three stars form the Summer Triangle. The Milky Way can be seen as a luminous glow that spans the entire sky like an arc: a spectacular sight!
In the autumn, we see the Great Square of Pegasus in the sky. This recognizable square is formed by three stars of the constellation Pegasus and one from the constellation Andromeda. While we saw the Big Dipper high in the sky in the spring, in the autumn you can find it low above the northern horizon.
The winter night sky is dominated by the constellation of Orion. This mighty hunter consists of three bright stars that form his famous ‘belt’, surrounded by a rectangle of four other bright stars. Below Orion, we find a notably bright star: Sirius. This is the brightest star that we can see from Earth in the night sky.
The Moon
The Moon is the only natural satellite of the Earth. Because it orbits the Earth, we always see it on a different spot in the sky: it shifts a little every night. Sometimes it is visible in the evening, sometimes all night, sometimes in the early morning. Occasionally, you can even see the Moon during the day!
The Moon is known for its phases. Sometimes only a very narrow crescent is visible, sometimes the moon is half-lit, and at other times the entire lunar disk is visible. This is because the Moon (like the Earth) is illuminated by the Sun. As it orbits the Earth, a different side of the Moon is illuminated by the Sun at different times. The lit part of the moon always points towards the Sun, even when the Sun is below the horizon.
When the Moon is exactly half-lit, we call this first quarter or last quarter. During the first quarter phase, the Moon is visible in the afternoon and evening. The right half of the moon is then illuminated (as seen from the northern hemisphere). During the last quarter phase, you can see the moon at night and in the morning with the left half illuminated. When it’s a full moon, the entire lunar disk is illuminated. The Moon is then exactly opposite the Sun as seen from Earth and is visible all night. When the Moon is located in the direction of the Sun, we cannot see it. This is called a new moon. A few days after the new moon, you can discover the thin crescent Moon again in the evening sky.
The planets
Planets also move in the night sky. Every evening they move a little to a new location. This is because they, like Earth, orbit the Sun.
To the naked eye, planets look like ordinary stars, but they are not: planets do not emit light themselves, like stars. They reflect light from the Sun, just like the Moon. Some planets can become very bright: Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn are often much brighter than stars and are prominent sights in the sky. They are easily seen with the naked eye. For Uranus and Neptune, you need (at least) binoculars to be able to spot them.
Some planets can become very bright
Venus and Mercury are closer to the Sun than the Earth. Therefore, from Earth, they always appear close to the Sun in the sky. This means you can never see them in the middle of the night, but only in the morning and evening hours, and then also only when they are far from the Sun in their orbit. The best times to see them are usually when they are furthest from the Sun. This is called greatest elongation.
All other planets are further from the Sun than the Earth. So you can also see them in the middle of the night. Once every few months, a planet is directly opposite the Sun in the sky. This planet is then visible all night and is closest to Earth. This is called opposition and is the best time to observe the planet.
Once you have found a planet, it’s fun to look for it every night. You’ll notice that it moves a bit compared to the background stars each evening.
Deep-sky objects
The term “deep-sky object” refer to objects that are neither a star nor a planet and are located far beyond the solar system. They can be, for example, star clusters, nebulae, or galaxies.
The Pleiades are very bright and can be clearly seen without optical aids
For many deep-sky objects, you need binoculars or a telescope to be able to see them. But some can also be observed with the naked eye! A well-known example is the Pleiades star cluster, also known as the Seven Sisters. This group of stars is very bright and can be clearly seen without optical aids. If you are in a dark location, you can even see other deep-sky objects with the naked eye. For example, the Andromeda Galaxy, a galaxy about 2.5 million light-years away. Or the Orion Nebula, a gas cloud in the constellation of Orion where new stars are being born. Without optical aid, these last two deep-sky objects are nothing more than a faint spot of light, but the idea that you can see a distant galaxy and a “stellar factory” with the naked eye is utterly fascinating!
Shooting stars
Shooting stars or meteors are not real stars, they are small pieces of space rock (often no larger than a grain of sand!) that float through space and sometimes end up in our atmosphere. In doing so, they burn up, which is visible as a quick flash of light in the sky: a shooting star! A few times a year, meteor showers are active. During these periods, you can see many more shooting stars than usual. Read all about observing shooting stars in this article.
Conjunctions
Because the Moon and the planets move a little across the sky every night, sometimes the planets or the Moon are close to each other (or close to a bright star) in the sky. This is called a conjunction. A beautiful sight! That’s why many apps and celestial calendars often mention them. Usually, you can view these conjunctions with the naked eye.
With our Nightshift app (Android), you can discover which planets and conjunctions are visible from your location. You can also use Nightshift to find out when the Moon is visible and whether you can expect to see shooting stars. Curious? Download it for free here!
Step 3: Prepare well
The right time
The darker it is, the more stars you can see. So if you want to enjoy a beautiful night sky, make sure the Sun is far enough below the horizon (no twilight). It helps if the moon is below the horizon, too. The sky is a lot brighter in moonlight. Of course, if you want to observe the moon itself, it needs to be high in the sky.
If you want to enjoy a beautiful night sky, make sure it is really dark
It’s important that your eyes properly adjust to the darkness. This can easily take half an hour. Keep in mind that any bright light will undo your night vision immediately, and it will take some time for your eyes to adjust to the dark again. So, do not use flashlights and only use stargazing apps that have a special night mode (with red or orange colors).
The right location
In a city or other area with a high population, you often have to deal with light pollution. The light from street lamps and buildings is reflected in the sky, making the sky appear illuminated. This is the reason you can never see many stars from the city.
If you want to enjoy a beautiful night sky, it might be worth it to travel outside the city to go stargazing. On this map, you can find really dark locations in your neighborhood.
The right weather
It’s somewhat self-explanatory, but it’s good to keep in mind: you won’t see any stars in cloudy weather. Make sure to check in advance if the sky will be clear when you’re going stargazing, especially if you have to travel a bit to get to your observation spot.
Accurately predicting cloud cover turns out to be quite tricky, and often a forecast can be off. Therefore, it’s a good idea to compare several different weather forecasts. If they all indicate that it will be a cloudless evening, the chances are highest that you will be treated to a clear sky.
It’s a good idea to compare different weather forecasts with each other
And when you take a look at the cloud cover forecast, also check if it’s going to be foggy. It can be completely cloudless, but if it’s foggy you still won’t see any or hardly any stars.
Here you can compare different weather forecasts with each other (just make sure to search for your location!).
Do you need a telescope?
To go stargazing, you don’t necessarily need a telescope. If you are in a dark location, stargazing with the naked eye is already a delight! Most planets, the brightest stars, and deep-sky objects can be seen quite well without optical aids.
If you are in a dark location, stargazing with the naked eye is already a delight!
If you happen to have a pair of binoculars lying around, point them at the stars! With a regular pair of binoculars, you can see much more than with the naked eye: star clusters, galaxies, double stars: they’re all within reach and beautiful to observe.
If you want to take the next step and find out if a telescope might be something for you, this article will help you make the right choice for your budget. And here you can read what you can expect from stargazing with a telescope.
Apps and star charts
Star charts or apps can help you orientate yourself in the night sky. On a map or in an app, the brightest stars are often depicted, and the stars of constellations are connected by lines, so you can find your way in the night sky quickly. With a rotatable star chart, also called a planisphere, and with most apps, you can set the date and time you are going to observe. You can then see exactly which constellations are visible at that moment. Always handy to have with you!
Clothing
Keep in mind that you cool down quickly when sitting still outside, even on warm summer evenings! So, make sure to wear enough warm (thermal) clothing, lots of layers, and possibly bring a sleeping bag. Also, a thermos flask with tea or coffee can be very welcome on your stargazing adventures.
With our Nightshift app (Android), you can find out for each evening whether it’s good stargazing weather at your favorite observation location. The app takes into account both darkness and weather forecast, and you can receive push notifications when a nice, clear evening is on the way. Nightshift can be downloaded for free here.
Have fun!
With these three steps, you have learned the basic principles of stargazing. Don’t worry if it all seems a bit overwhelming, you’ll learn it faster than you think! Enjoy your adventures under the night sky!