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Stargazing Tips
Stargazing Tips
Use a red flashlight instead of white light to preserve your night vision.
Dress warmly, even in spring or fall — it can get cold while you're standing still.
Bring a lawn chair or blanket for comfort while observing.
Avoid bright lights for at least 15 minutes before observing — your eyes need time to adjust.
Check the weather and moon phase before heading out.
Find a dark-sky location if possible — the farther from city lights, the better.
Telescope Guide
Telescope Guide
How to Set Up a Telescope:
Start with a level surface and follow your scope’s instructions to align the finder scope. Practice during the day!
Types of Telescopes:
Refractor – Great for beginners, especially for observing the Moon and planets.
Reflector – Good for deep sky objects like nebulae and galaxies.
Dobsonian – Affordable and powerful for stargazing from dark-sky sites.
Telescope Tips:
Let the telescope cool down to match outdoor temperatures before observing.
Use low magnification first to locate objects.
Clean lenses with care — only when absolutely necessary.
Need help?
Come to one of our public observation nights and we’ll help you get hands-on experience!
Useful Apps & Tools
Useful Apps & Tools
Stellarium – Free software that shows a real-time sky map from your location. stellarium-web.org
SkySafari / Sky Guide / Star Walk 2 – Excellent mobile apps for identifying stars, planets, and constellations.
Heavens Above – Track satellites and International Space Station flyovers. heavens-above.com
Dark Site Finder – Map of light pollution and best places to stargaze. darksitefinder.com
Educational Links
Educational Links
Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD)
A new space photo with an explanation every day.
apod.nasa.gov
NASA’s Astronomy Resources for Students
Activities, guides, and explainer pages for all ages.
nasa.gov/stem
EarthSky.org
Astronomy news, stargazing tips, and monthly sky guides.
earthsky.org
Sky & Telescope - Learn Astronomy
Detailed articles on telescope use, observing guides, and more.
skyandtelescope.org
Page updated
Google Sites
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