"Did you even look up last night? 🌠"

 🔮Send me a postcard from 13 billion years ago if you do.  I’d love to see what the universe looked like then. 

1. You understand there are no boundaries, By staring at the sky, you find out that really there are no boundaries or limitations. You can see that there are no borders in space, time or gravity; that beyond this planet of ours there is a huge space of experiences unopened and unrevealed.

2. You are reminded of how small they are, Staring at the unknown yet massive sky with clouds rolling by, way past the trees and deep into the stars, you are reminded of how small they are. You know while you are inconsistent or uncertain, the sky and nature offers all the certainty and magnitude that is needed for the planet to keep on going.

3. You can stare at and believe in beauty, What is above us is beautiful: the rainbows, the golden sun, the orange new moon and the stars all make the sky awesomely beautiful. In the sky you can conceal yourself in beauty, hope and solace.

4. You can find some perfection away from the world we are, According to Buddha, “When you realize how perfect everything is, you will tilt your head back and laugh at the sky.” When things around us look so unclear, fuzzy and disorderly, we can look above and see some awesomeness, magnificence and something to remind us that there can be a better direction in which you are going and things can turn out perfect.

5. You are aware of their history, You know that to our present there is a past. The sky reminds us of our past and where we are coming from. When you stare at the sky you see a history of places and times before you. You can see beyond where you are right now and peer towards where you are coming from.

6. You can ask questions, Somehow the sky fills us with amazement and wonderment. Staring at the sky gears you to asking questions and watering your curiosity. Perhaps because you cannot get enough of it or because it always changes or because it is a door to a universe. While staring at the sky you just have to ask questions.

7. You can embrace freedom, Staring at the sky restores your hope and makes you connected to nature. Staring at the sky slows you down and offers you a choice and chance to take a deep breath to expand your soul and embrace freedom.

8. You know the best things in life are free, It doesn’t cost anything to find that solace and peace the sky offers you. The serenity and beauty it gives doesn’t need to be paid for. Everyone in the world, everywhere, has access to this marvel and can enjoy its abundance of space.

9. You want to make a wish, Everything around is finite. But not the heavens or space. It captivates the viewer and adds to the mystery above us. Somewhere in between we wish we are a part of its journey and that the sky can offer us a way out and take us to somewhere unknown, perhaps opening a door to several more connections and journeys.

10. You are put in the right perspective, You can see things the way they are, real and pure. Beyond what we see on the media or what we are bombarded with by technology. Rather with the sky you can pu things in the right perspective and find some fun in doing this.

When things around us look so unclear, fuzzy and disorderly, we can look above and see some awesomeness, magnificence and something to remind us that there can be a better direction in which you are going and things can turn out perfecWhat do you see when you stare at the sky? Many fail to appreciate this breathtaking scenery enough, perhaps because there is no time afforded to them to stop and stare at the marvel and security above them. Here are some things those who can take a moment to pause and stare at the sky can understand.

The stars are offline tonight. Go outside and look up. 🌌 -P

If you’re an avid camper, snowshoer, or outdoor enthusiast, you might be scratching your head at this one. After all, why would you ever need to know how to navigate using the stars?

Because let’s be honest, you’ll probably use your phone for everything and to determine your location is one of them. If you happen to run out of battery (i know, we have power banks) or you’re in a place without a signal (what is kinda mindblowing this days) , you’ll just pull out a map and compass for navigation (We are in XY century or something ?). You did remember to pack those… right or you allready forgot were did you park?

Think of celestial navigation as your backup to a backup cos after all in my opinion, knowledge takes no place. If all else fails, you’ll at least be able to figure out what direction you’re heading by looking at the stars above you. And if you’re feeling really fancy, you can even figure out your latitude and longitude by using a few simple tricks.

If you’re struggling to find the constellations or using the tools for star navigation, don’t worry, there’s a simple method you can use to navigate. Start by picking out any star in the night sky – I’d recommend searching for a brighter one that sits a little closer to the horizon. After that, find two sticks with a reasonably similar height and drive them into the ground about a yard away from each other. You’ll want to ensure the star is lined up at the top of both stakes.

It’ll take some time, but the star will eventually move from its position over the top of the two stakes. Since the Earth is constantly rotating from west to east, it causes the stars to move across the sky from east to west. Therefore, depending on which direction your star moved in relation to the stakes, you can determine which way you’re facing. Here’s a quick guide for your reference:

〉If the star moved to the left, you’re facing north.

〉If the star moved to the right, you’re facing south.

〉If the star moved up, you’re facing east.

〉If the star moved down, you’re facing west.

Of course, there aren’t just four directions that you could be facing. So it’s rarely as simple as watching your star move up, down, right, or left. For example, what if the star moved up and left? Based on our guidelines, that would mean you’re facing northeast. Likewise, a star moving down and right would indicate that you’re facing southwest.

It’s not inaccurate to think of the heavens as a clockwork apparatus above our head. We use our planet’s spin to mark a day and its orbit around the sun to mark a year. That annual orbital reckoning also means the same constellations appear in the same part of the sky on the same calendar dates, providing a sense of regularity. It’s comforting, in its way.

Many astronomical events, such as meteor showers, run by calendrical timings as well. But our moon and the other planets move with the cogs of different celestial gears. So every year, we get a new assortment of fun events to look forward to; 2026 is no exception.

Some are familiar, such as the dozen—or baker’s dozen—of full moons in any given year. Others are unique—or at least obscure to those who don’t pay close attention to the night sky. All are lovely, and worth watching. Below you’ll find the ones that I, in particular, am most looking forward to observing in 2026. If you want a more complete list of everything going on in the sky over the next 50 or so weeks, take a look at In-The-Sky.org, a website that offers details for events that are visible from across the world (you can enter your location to get local info as well).

January 10: The king of the solar system, the giant planet Jupiter, will reach opposition. That means it will be located opposite to the sun in the sky, with the planet rising at sunset and being visible all night. Because Earth will be almost directly between the sun and Jupiter, the latter planet will be at its closest to us—about 633 million kilometers—so it will appear at its biggest and brightest. Go out after dark and look east to see it gleaming like a jewel near the bright stars Castor and Pollux in the constellation Gemini. Through binoculars, you might catch one or more of Jupiter’s four large moons aligned right next to it. A telescope will reveal the planet’s broad atmospheric stripes and bands as well. It’s one of my favorite objects in the sky to observe, and I’ve withstood many a freezing night to catch a glimpse. And while this day will be the best time to see Jupiter, any time over the next few months will be fine as well.

February 2: In the early evening (shortly before 9 P.M. EST), the waning gibbous moon will pass directly in front of the bright star Regulus in the constellation of Leo. This rare “occultation,” in which the star will suddenly blink out behind the moon, will be visible for most of the eastern U.S. north of Florida. The occultation will last less than an hour, after which Regulus will reappear on the other side of the moon. The exact timing will depend on your location, so see In-The-Sky.org for your local details.

March 3: For this eclipse, the show will really begin at 4:50 A.M. EST, when the dark, most noticeable part of Earth’s shadow will slip onto the moon. Totality—when our planet’s shadow will fully engulf the moon—will begin at 6:04 A.M. and continue for just under an hour, ending when a tiny, sunlit sliver of the lunar surface will reappears at 7:02 A.M. The show will be over at 8:17 A.M., well after the sun will be up, making the last part of the eclipse invisible for East Coasters—but if you’re west of the Rockies, you will be able to watch the whole event. When viewing a lunar eclipse, it’s fun to go outside every few minutes to see how the moon changes. And perusing it with binoculars during totality is an amazing sight; the surface can appear brownish or even bloodred, depending on your local atmospheric conditions. 

April 25: The moon will occult Regulus again at approximately 8:30 P.M. (depending on your location), though this time it will be best viewed from sites east of the Mississippi, where the pair will be higher in the sky.

May 18: After sunset, the moon will pass less than three degrees from Venus, which is always a beautiful sight! Venus will be an impossible-to-miss beacon to the west in a clear sky, while the moon will be a very thin crescent, possibly more difficult to spot than Venus! The view will be best through binoculars. So if you have a pair, break them out. You won’t regret it.

June 5: Brilliant Venus will reach its highest point in the western sky after sunset on this date, making this the best time to spot it in 2026. As a bonus, Venus and Jupiter will be just 1.5 degrees apart in the sky on June 9, though they’ll be a striking pair for many days before and after. As a second bonus, elusive Mercury will be between them and the horizon; fainter and faster-moving than Venus, it never gets far above the horizon, so even many astronomers have never seen it! Scanning the sky with binoculars after sunset will help you spot it.

June 17: On this date, the moon will occult Venus! This event will be visible across the entire U.S., so you might think it’ll be easy to see. But it will occur at approximately 3:45 P.M. EDT (though you should check your local timing) during broad daylight. Careful use of binoculars should reveal the spectacle. Warning: you never want to look at the sun through binoculars, which would cause catastrophic damage to your retinas. I like to stay on the shady side of a big tree and scan the sky well away from the sun to see Venus during the day; it will be about 38 degrees east (to the left) of the sun at the time. It might be easier to spot than the very thin crescent moon, too. Unlike a star, Venus won’t just blink out; the planet has a visible disk, so it will take a couple of seconds for the moon to slide all the way across it and block it out. The event will last for about 90 minutes before the planet will reappear on the other side of the moon.

July 4: If you’ve never seen the distant planet Uranus, this will be your chance: in the early morning, before sunrise, the bright planet Mars and much fainter Uranus will be extremely close in the sky, less than a tenth of a degree apart! Such an event is called an appulse, though the term “conjunction” is more commonly used. Through binoculars, Uranus will look like a pale bluish star above the much redder Mars, which will be about 60 times brighter than the more distant planet. I’d recommend a telescope here, if you have one.

August 12: The grandest event of the year is a total solar eclipse, when the moon passes in front of the sun and turns day into night. This can only be seen along a narrow ground path that runs from Greenland, over Iceland and finally to Spain. If, however, you live in the extremely northeastern region of the U.S., you’ll still see a partial eclipse, with a small section of the sun blocked. For example, in Maine about 25 percent of our star will be eclipsed, while at my location in central Virginia, only about 1.5 percent of it will be, barely noticeable. As always, never look at the sun without proper optical aid! You can also get eclipse glasses for safe viewing; the American Astronomical Society keeps a list of vendors. 

August 27–28: We will be blessed with a second lunar eclipse on this night, but it won’t quite be total: at maximum, a little more than 90 percent of the moon will fall into Earth’s shadow. The event will start at 10:35 P.M. EDT, and the maximum eclipse will occur just after midnight. It won’t be as cool as the March eclipse, but the timing will be a lot more copacetic.

October 6: This time the moon will occult Jupiter in the early morning, around 4:15 A.M. EDT (as usual, check your local timing). This event will be visible to the eastern half of the U.S. and will last for slightly more than an hour. You should watch a bit early, though, because Jupiter’s largest moons will join in the fun as well! First, Europa will be blocked, followed by Io and Callisto, very close to each other, then Jupiter itself and finally Ganymede. The moon will be a waning crescent, so its brightness may not overwhelm the fainter moons, but you’ll need a good pair of binoculars or a telescope to see all the action.

November 16: For night owls, Mars and Jupiter will be a mere 1.1 degrees apart on this night. Yellowish Jupiter will be about 3.5 times brighter than the orange Mars, so this will be a lovely pairing. They won’t rise until around midnight, but it’ll be worth staying up to see.

Of course, there will also be meteor showers this year. On the night of August 12, the same day of the solar eclipse, the Perseids will be at their best. And on December 14 the Geminids, my favorite shower of the year, will hits their stride. These two are usually excellent showers, with as many as 100 and even 150 meteors per hour, respectively (though, honestly, usually fewer). You can read general info about the Perseids and the Geminids in Scientific American articles published last year.

There are also many other lunar occultations this year if you want to try your hand at seeing them. And I always recommend going out to see the moon whenever you can. Most people enjoy the full moon, but I prefer it when it’s a crescent, especially if the “dark” part is lit by earthshine, the reflected light from Earth. It’s one of my favorite things to see in the sky and stirs poetry in my soul.

But my advice every year, every day, every night, is always the same: if you’re able, look up. There’s a whole universe ticking away above our heads, and if you don’t take a peek at it every now and again, you might miss something amazing.

Ever wondered about the celestial wonders that have inspired myths and legends for millennia? Join me on a journey through the night sky, exploring the top 30 constellations visible from Earth. We'll blend historical insights with practical stargazing advice. 

Orion (The Hunter)

Orion is a famous constellation seen clearly in the Northern Hemisphere’s winter sky. Named after a mythological Greek hunter, its shape is said to resemble his figure.

Big Dipper

The Big Dipper, also called the Plough or Ursa Major, is a famous asterism in the northern sky. It’s part of the larger Ursa Major constellation and easily recognized by its unique shape.

Cassiopeia

Cassiopeia is a constellation named after a queen from Greek mythology. You can spot it in the northern sky, recognizable by its distinct “W” shape.

Cygnus

Cygnus, called the Northern Cross, is a prominent constellation visible in the Northern Hemisphere’s summer sky. Its form looks like a cross and symbolizes a swan from Greek mythology.

Leo

Leo, one of the twelve zodiac constellations, stands out as one of the most recognizable in the night sky. Best viewed in spring in the Northern Hemisphere and autumn in the Southern Hemisphere, it offers a stunning astronomical sight.

Canis Major

Canis Major is a constellation named after the “Greater Dog” from Greek mythology. Visible in the winter sky in the Northern Hemisphere, it is easily recognized by the bright star Sirius, also called the “Dog Star”.

Aquarius

Aquarius is a constellation named after the water-bearer from Greek mythology. You can see it in the autumn sky in the Northern Hemisphere. It’s easily recognizable by its distinctive “Y” shape.

Gemini

Gemini, named after the twins from Greek mythology, is a constellation visible in the Northern Hemisphere’s winter sky. It’s easily recognizable by its two bright stars, Castor and Pollux.

Pisces

Pisces is a constellation named after the fish from Greek mythology. It’s visible in the autumn sky in the Northern Hemisphere and easily recognizable by its two “V” shapes.

Aries

Aries is a constellation named after the ram from Greek mythology. It’s visible in the autumn sky in the Northern Hemisphere and easily recognized by its distinctive “V” shape.

Aquila

Aquila is a constellation named after an eagle from Greek mythology. Visible in the summer sky in the Northern Hemisphere, its name means ‘eagle’ in Latin.

Boötes

Boötes, a constellation in the northern hemisphere near Ursa Major, is most visible in spring. It’s known for Arcturus, the fourth brightest star. Boötes is linked with mythological figures like Arcas, son of Zeus and Callisto, and Icarius, taught winemaking by Dionysus.

Libra (The Scales)

Libra is a zodiac constellation often depicted as scales. It’s best seen in the summer in the Northern Hemisphere and in the winter in the Southern Hemisphere.

Lyra (The Lyre)

Lyra is a small yet notable constellation with the bright star Vega. It’s best visible during the summer in the Northern Hemisphere.

Puppis

Puppis is a southern constellation in the southern hemisphere. Its name comes from the Latin word for “poop deck,” as it was once part of Argo Navis, representing Jason’s ship in Greek mythology.

Pegasus (The Winged Horse)

Pegasus is a large constellation best viewed in autumn in the Northern Hemisphere. It’s named after the mythological winged horse.

Perseus (The Hero)

Perseus, a large constellation, is best seen in autumn in the Northern Hemisphere. It’s named after the Greek hero who defeated the Gorgon Medusa.

Phoenix (The Phoenix)

Phoenix is a small southern constellation visible in summer in the Southern Hemisphere. Named after the mythological bird, it symbolizes rebirth.

Piscis Austrinus(The Southern Fish)

Piscis Austrinus is a constellation in the southern celestial hemisphere. Its name means “the southern fish” in Latin. It’s best seen in September from mid-northern latitudes and mid-winter from temperate southern latitudes.

Sagittarius (The Archer)

Sagittarius, a zodiac constellation often represented as a centaur with a bow and arrow, is best seen in summer in the Northern Hemisphere and winter in the Southern Hemisphere.

Serpens(The Snake)

Serpens is a constellation in the northern hemisphere representing a serpent. It has two parts: Serpens Caput (the head) and Serpens Cauda (the tail), divided by the constellation Ophiuchus.

Sextans(The Sextant)

Sextans is a faint constellation in the southern celestial hemisphere. Introduced in the late 17th century by Polish astronomer Johannes Hevelius, it is named after the sextant, an instrument for measuring angles between celestial objects.

Scorpius (The Scorpion)

Scorpius is an easily recognizable zodiac constellation because of its distinctive scorpion shape. It’s best seen in summer in the Northern Hemisphere and winter in the Southern Hemisphere.

Taurus (The Bull)

Taurus is a zodiac constellation, easily recognizable by its bright star Aldebaran and the Pleiades star cluster. It’s best seen in winter in the Northern Hemisphere and in summer in the Southern Hemisphere.

Telescopium(The Telescope)

Telescopium, a small and faint constellation in the southern sky, was identified by French astronomer Nicolas Louis de Lacaille in the 18th century during his South African expedition. Named after the telescope, this constellation highlights one of the period’s groundbreaking inventions.

Ursa Major (The Great Bear)

Ursa Major is a famous constellation, containing the Big Dipper, often used for navigation. It’s best seen in spring in the Northern Hemisphere and autumn in the Southern Hemisphere.

Ursa Minor (The Little Bear)

Ursa Minor is a small constellation featuring the bright star Polaris, also known as the North Star. It’s best seen in the spring in the Northern Hemisphere and in the autumn in the Southern Hemisphere.

Virgo (The Virgin)

Virgo is the biggest zodiac constellation, usually shown as a maiden with a bundle of wheat. You can see it best in spring in the Northern Hemisphere and in autumn in the Southern Hemisphere.

Volans

Volans is a small constellation in the southern hemisphere, meaning “flying” in Latin. Dutch astronomer Petrus Plancius introduced it in the early 17th century. Its notable feature is the star Beta Volantis, a binary star system composed of two blue-white stars about 90 light-years away from Earth.

Vulpecula (The Little Fox)

Vulpecula is a small constellation best viewed during summer in the Northern Hemisphere. Its name comes from the Latin word for “little fox.”