Radmila Topalovic
The air is cooler, the nights are drawing in and we are well on our way to the winter solstice - the longest period of night-time - on 21st December this year. Those long summer days may be over however we have plenty to look forward to: Halloween, Bonfire Night, Christmas and, of course, plenty of time for stargazing. Here are my top tips to enjoy the night sky.
The gas giant Saturn
1. Plan ahead
A successful observing session requires planning, flexibility and patience. Check the weather forecast, sunset, moonrise and moonset times at metoffice.gov.uk and timeanddate.com and choose a location where you have a clear view of the horizon if you can.
Stargazing gets more interesting if you leave the light-polluted skies of the city and head out into the countryside. From the city you may see around 30 stars, in rural skies you could see a few thousand stars, you are also more likely to see meteors streaking across the sky. Once you are confident finding your way around the night sky, you could try a dark sky reserve: darksky.uk/find-a-dark-sky-place/ or use your Collins Guide to the Night Sky.
2. Stay warm and bring what you need
Bring your Collins Guide to the Night Sky and app on a mobile device and a red torch to aid your night vision. When looking at faint objects you will need to give your eyes 10–20 minutes to adapt to the dark. If you are using your phone, switch it on night vision mode.
You may be outside for a while – do wear warm clothes and shoes and bring hot drinks if it’s a cold night. If you are planning on looking up for a while you may wish to bring a deckchair or picnic blanket with you.
Binoculars allow you to see more stars and to look for Jupiter’s moons. I always attach mine to a tripod so I can observe the sky comfortably. You can capture the brightest objects using your smartphone, switch the flash off and use the zoom function on your camera to change the magnification.
3. Find North using the Plough
Your first challenge is to find the Plough – known as the Big Dipper in North America – part of the large constellation of Ursa Major (the Great Bear).
The two stars Dubhe and Merak, farthest from the ‘tail’ are known as the Pointers. By tracing a line between the pair and continuing this line across the sky, you will be guided to Polaris, also known as the North Star or Pole Star. Then draw another imaginary line vertically down to the horizon and you are facing north. All the stars in the northern sky appear to rotate around Polaris.
The Plough
4. Face South
In the southern region of the sky you will find the Moon, Sun and planets moving in a narrow band across the sky. Try following the phases of the Moon, you could sketch what you see or take a photo. Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn are bright enough to be seen with the naked eye (no equipment required). A useful tip for distinguishing stars and planets – stars twinkle, planets don’t.
When trying to see deep sky objects such as the Andromeda galaxy or the Orion Nebula you should aim for a night when the bright Moon is below the horizon.
5. Share with others
Wherever you go and whatever you see, post your photos and tag us on Instagram @collins_ref. The night sky belongs to everyone, look up and enjoy!
About the author
This blog was written by Radmila Topalovic, astronomer and co-author of Night Sky Almanac 2027, Stargazing, 2027 Guide to the Night Sky and more.
Explore more of Radmila's books here.