Stargazing 101: How to Celebrate Earth Day with the Night Sky

Earth Day was born on April 22, 1970, and millions of people around the world now use it as a springboard to bring awareness to environmental issues. From outdoor activities to volunteering and rallying, there are so many ways to celebrate Earth Day.

This year, why not celebrate into the night by adding stargazing to your itinerary? Taking in the magic and beauty of the night sky is sure to give you a whole new perspective on planet Earth. Get the most out of the experience with just a few tips to make you feel like a sky-gazing pro.

Do a Little Homework 

Before you head out to enjoy the night sky, learn a little bit about what you can see. Star charts and stargazing apps can really help you take your stargazing experience up a notch. It’s also helpful to know what to expect. In the Northern Hemisphere, the constellations that are visible change with the seasons. During spring, you can typically see the following:

• The Big Dipper – High in the northern sky, is one of the best-known and easiest-to-find constellations.
• Arcturus – An orange star after the Big Dipper's curved handle, is located in the Boötes constellation. This kite-shaped constellation is also called the Herdsman.
• Leo – A zodiac constellation, sits between 10-25 degrees north latitude. You can find it by imagining that the Big Dipper is filled with water, but it has a hole in it. The water would fall right on Leo.
• Cancer – Catch a glimpse of the 13^th zodiac constellation. The celestial crab is rich with star clusters and looks like an upside-down ‘Y’.

Find the Right Time and Place

Like so many other things in life, timing and location are everything when it comes to stargazing. Clear, cloudless nights offer the best viewing conditions. If you can wait for a new moon (the phase when you don’t see the moon) and find a spot far from any city or town lights, then you may see lots more stars.

Go camping to make a trip out of it, or try to find a high spot closer to home where you can see as much sky as possible without anything obstructing your view. The fewer streetlights and buildings, the better.

Bring on the Gear

Luckily, you don’t need to invest in pricey telescopes to appreciate the stars. All you really need is the naked eye, but having some extra comfort items like blankets, yoga mats or reclining chairs can improve your viewing experience. Avoid damaging your eyes with the white or blue light from traditional flashlights and opt for a red flashlight. Alternatively, cover your phone’s light with red cellophane.

While it’s helpful to have a pair of binoculars, on a clear night, you can see plenty of stars with just your eyes. But when you want a closer view, binoculars can give you all the magnification you need to see the craters on the moon and other fun details.

Whether you want to wish on a star or use the night sky to discover more of the magic this beautiful world holds for all of us, adding stargazing to your favorite outdoor activities can give you a whole new perspective on Earth Day and beyond.

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