Choosing binoculars for stargazing
What to consider and look for in “Jumbo” binoculars Binoculars for gazing at the night sky are a specialty optic, often a first step for budding amateur astronomers who don’t want to commit to...
Category: Stargazing
The night sky surrounds us with boundless stars and planets just waiting to be noticed. Discover where to find dark skies and how to use astronomy software to appreciate the universe around us.
Full Moon Watch
What to see when the moon is full Can you recognize the wide face of the mythical Man in the Moon when gazing at a full moon? It may be a stretch for your...
Attending Our First Star Party
A lot to learn as a wannabe stargazer I have always been interested in the stars. Almost 40 years ago I taught myself celestial navigation since most of the navigation gear we take for...
Star Party Etiquette
Learn the dos and don’ts of attending a star party We have learned so much about the etiquette of attending a star party since our first time at a star party hosted by...
Another Successful NASA Resupply Launch
Cygnus spacecraft takes off from Wallops Island Flight Facility It was a chilly February 19th morning in Virginia for the launch of NG-17, the Northup Grumman Cygnus spacecraft on the company’s Antares rocket. We...
2022 Star Party Roundup
Star parties and events celebrating the night sky in U.S. in 2022 Attend a star party or event and enjoy the comraderie of others interested in stargazing. First-time observers can learn from other astronomy...
Where to Find Dark Skies
For the best stargazing look for dark skies If you live in a remote rural area surrounded by open land you have an ideal location for sky watching. But most of us live in...
Watch the ISS Pass Overhead – It’s Better than TV
See the International Space Station just outside your window as it passes overhead The International Space Station, known as ISS, passes overhead about 16 times a day. Since it will pass over thousands of...
Viewing the Moon
Astronauts saw the moon in person, we earthlings use binoculars The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) tells us the moon is an average of 238,855 miles away from earth. That’s quite a distance...
How to use Stellarium
Use skywatching software for stargazers on your cell phone, tablet and laptop How Stellarium works There are many astronomy apps for your electronic devices and many are fun to use while providing information about...
