Planning a successful stargazing session requires considering factors such as weather, clothing, sunset time and season, the horizon, moon, equipment, and planets and satellites, and light pollution.

Consider the weather when planning your stargazing session.  You cannot guarantee a clear sky in most parts of the world, so it is important to be flexible with your plan and set aside a few postponement nights in case of bad weather.  How important this factor is depends on your local climate.  If you usually have clear nights, you may only need to plan a few alternate days, however if a clear night is very hard to come by, you may want to closely watch the weather reports and be ready to change your plans at the last minute.  Nights when the moon is below the horizon are good nights for a stargazing session.  Look for a forecast of clear skies until at least noon the following day so you are sure to have the clearest view for your session.  Depending on your climate there may be a time of year that is better for stargazing as well.

Clothing is a good thing to consider when planning your stargazing session.  Warm clothes are usually recommended unless you are in tropical conditions.  This is because when you are stargazing, you do not move around a lot.  You need to have appropriate clothing including gloves, hats, jackets, and warm pants and socks.  This will ensure that you are warm and comfortable while waiting for the stars to come out.

Other important factors when planning your stargazing session are sunset time and the season.  Depending on where you live and the season, it may not even get dark until very late.  At latitude 45 or above, total darkness does not occur until 11:00pm in the summertime.  This is an especially important factor to consider when stargazing with a group or with children.  The winter may be more practical for stargazing because of the early sunset, but it can be very cold, especially for children.  The best times for stargazing at these latitudes is in the spring before daylight savings has begun, or fall after daylight savings has ended.  Check your local sunset times on the Internet before you go out.  For optimum stargazing times you should plan on seeing the brightest stars about 30 minutes after sunset.

Ideally, the horizon should be low when selecting a star gazing site, and there should be no mountains or tall buildings in all directions.  Getting up on a high hill or mountain is ideal, but you should at least check your Star Wheel to determine which part of the sky has the most interesting stars, and go somewhere where there is a low horizon in that direction.

Also, be sure to check the moon to determine the best stargazing time.  The moonlight will have a similar effect as light pollution making it very hard to see stars when the moon is bright.  Try to go between the last quarter and first quarter, a week either side of the new moon.  You can check the phases of the moon on many different web sites, and doing so will ensure that it is dark enough for a successful stargazing session.

Binoculars are great tools for stargazing and if you are planning a trip you should definitely bring as many pairs as possible.  Having the right equipment can make a stargazing session much more enjoyable for everyone.  Telescopes provide an even better view of the stars, but it is important to have an experienced operator when using this type of equipment so you can fine what you are looking for in the sky.

Finding out ahead of time which planets and satellites will be visible will enhance your stargazing session.  Many of the planets can be seen with the naked eye and if you research which of these will be visible on your stargazing trek, then you will enjoy viewing them.

One of the most important factors to consider when planning your stargazing session is light pollution.  Light from street lights and other buildings, glow white and light up the night sky, overwhelming the fainter stars and allowing only the brightest stars to shine through.  You should plan on getting at least five to ten miles away from the edge of the city.  You will know it is dark enough when you can see the Milky Way very clearly.  The further away you can manage to get, the better your viewing experience will be.

To have a successful stargazing experience, don’t forget to take these eight things into consideration while planning your trip.  It will make all the difference when you are out enjoying the stars!

 

Trackback URI | Comments RSS