OBSERVING CONDITIONS: Even though we can technically stargaze from their own backyard, the best way to observe the night sky is away from street and city lights. The unnatural glare caused by light and air pollution blocks out almost all starlight. City dwellers must travel to the countryside, where the sky is the darkest to experience the sky the way ancient astronomers did. The best time of the month for ideal observing conditions is during a new moon, because a full moon reflects so much light it has the same adverse effect as city lights. If you want to know what you can do about battling light pollution contact International Dark Skies Association in Tucson, Arizona or go to their website at www.darksky.org on the internet. Another factor in observing is the many layers of earth's atmosphere that starlight has to pass through. This is why objects closer to the horizon twinkle more that stars right above your head.

For the latest information and fascinating facts about what is going on in the night sky, you simply must go to www.stardate.org

CLOTHING: It can get very cold observing at night, especially during the winter months. Because you will be stationary most of the time, your body won't be generating much heat, so bring warm clothing, gloves, scarf, knit/ski cap, thick socks and thermal undergarments if you have them. Always remember that keeping your head and your feet warm will go a long way in insuring the rest of you stays warm. A camper or tent with a warm heater and hot drinks is a good idea for extended viewing sessions. For your own safety and comfort, never underestimate how cold it can get at night.

BEST VIEWING TIME: Anytime from 1 hour after sunset until 1 hour before sunrise when moonlight is not creating hazy light polluted skies.

NIGHT EYES: For optimum viewing, you must get your eyes used to the dark before you begin night stargazing. If you are starting from your home, turn off all white lights and stay inside a little while, until you can see where you are going in the dark. If you are camping, turn off all lanterns and douse the fire pit and make sure you always keep your backs towards anywhere automobiles might shine their lights in your eyes. Any source of white light can ruin hours of "night eyes" adjustment in a single moment. Once the lights are out and your eyes are adjusted to the dark, you will need a safe source of light to see star-charts and take notes. You can purchase a small penlight type with a red lens or you may take any existing flashlight and wrap red cellophane over the light and secure it with a rubber band or tape. This will enable you to read this handbook, star charts and see where the heck you are going. Make sure you have enough for everyone so you won't be fighting over a single light source.

FURNITURE: A sturdy foldable chair to sit on if you have a telescope, a reclining lawn chair or sleeping bag for naked eye observing. Lay some blankets down under your sleeping bag, get in, and lay on your back. This is especially good for viewing shooting stars and meteor showers. A reclining lawn chair under a bundled up body makes it possible to comfortably look up into the night sky for many hours.

EQUIPMENT: There are three types of observing everyone can do:

The first takes no equipment and therefore, is the easiest and least expensive. It is the ancient method of naked eye observing, something everyone can do. It is the best way to get comfortable star hopping around the sky.

The second is binocular observing. This is the most portable form of magnification. One can easily borrow or purchase an inexpensive pair.

The third is telescope observing. One can purchase an inexpensive portable instrument with tripod or an expensive unit, with a price tag of thousands that can only be transported with a trailer. Tracking computers are now available that can be attached to your telescope so that it can follow celestial objects as the Earth turns under the heavens.

SKY DIRECTIONS: Instead of up or down, left and right, astronomers use celestial north as their anchor. Anywhere in the sky, north is always the direction to the north celestial pole, marked rather closely by the North Star, Polaris. In the Southern Hemisphere, the Southern Star marks the region on the southern celestial pole.

The zenith of the sky is always directly above your head and everything is measured from the horizon upwards.

Whenever, you use a star atlas outdoors, hold it so north on the map points towards Polaris in the sky, no matter how cockeyed this direction appears to be. Then check that west is pointing in the direction of where the sun set. The star patterns on the map will then be oriented the way you actually see them.

Polaris, the North Star, is easy to find. The Pointer stars of the Big Dipper, the two at the front of its bowl, point almost directly at it. Polaris is the medium-bright star straight across from the Pointers.

Finding celestial north will become easier with a little practice. You will become oriented more quickly than you would imagine, and soon you will feel right at home.

ECLIPSE TIPS: Most space experts consider viewing a total eclipse with the naked eye safe but stress that partial eclipses, including partial eclipse phases before and after a total eclipse, should only be observed with certain safety precautions to prevent possibly serious eye damage.

Specialized sun filters or strong welder's glasses can protect the eyes. Also, viewers can use a simple indirect method to watch the silhouette of the eclipsing sun as it waxes and wanes through partial phases.

To do so, aim sunlight through a homemade pinhole camera or something else with a pinprick hole in it. Guide the focused sunlight onto a white background such as a sheet of paper. Of course, don't look through the hole directly at the sun.

THE FIFTEEN BRIGHTEST STARS IN THE SKY

LATIN NAME

SIRIUS
CANOPUS
ALPHA CENTAURI
VEGA
CAPELLA
ARCTURUS
RIGEL
PROYCON
ACHERNAR
BETA CENTAURI
ALTAIR
BETELGUESE
ACRUX
ALDEBARAN
POLLUX

MEANING

Scorching
Pilot of Menelaus
Centaur
Wooping Eagle
Goat
Watcher of the Bear
Foot
Before the Dog
End of the River
Centaur
Soaring Eagle
Shoulder of the Giant
Cross
Follower
Son of Zues & Leda

CONSTELLATION

Canis Major
Carinas
Centaurus
Lyra
Auriga
Bootes
Orion
Canis Minor
Erindanus
Centaur
Aquila
Orion
Southern Cross
Taurus
Gemini

COLOR

Blue
Yellow
Yellow
White
Yellow
Orange
Blue
Yellow
Blue
Blue
Yellow
Red
Blue
Orange
Yellow

Full Moons of the Year 2006

When the moon is close to full, it's a great time for night hikes or mountain biking around desert roads at night. The bright reflection makes it difficult for star gazing, but it is perfect for checking out the moons surface with a telescope.

January 13/14 ... February 12/13 ... March 14/15 ... April 14 ... May 13 ... June 12 ... July 12 ... August 09 ...
September 08 ... October 07 ... November 06 ... December 05

New Moons of the Year 2006

When there is no moon visible in the dark sky it is considered a new moon. This is the best time to see the stars because of the lack of moonlight in the nights sky. Just like the full moon, there is one new moon per month, always fifteen days from the full moon date.

January 29/30 ... February 27/28 ... March 28/29 ... April 27/28 ... May 26/27 ... June 25/26 ... July 24/25 ...
August 23/24 ... September 21/22 ... October 21/22 ... November 20/21 ... December 20/21

SOLSTICES and EQUINOXES

...2006...
VERNAL EQUINOX.....(SPRING) MAR 20 2006 126 PM EST - 1826 UTC

SUMMER SOLSTICE....(SUMMER) JUN 21 2006 726 AM EST - 1226 UTC

AUTUMNAL EQUINOX...(FALL)SEP 22 2006 1103 PM EST - 0403 UTC SEP 23

WINTER SOLSTICE....(WINTER) DEC 21 2006 722 PM EST - 0022 UTC DEC 22

...2007...
VERNAL EQUINOX.....(SPRING) MAR 20 2007 707 PM EST - 0007 UTC MAR 21

SUMMER SOLSTICE....(SUMMER) JUN 21 2007 106 PM EST - 1806 UTC

AUTUMNAL EQUINOX...(FALL)SEP 23 2007 451 AM EST - 0951 UTC

WINTER SOLSTICE....(WINTER) DEC 22 2007 108 AM EST - 0608 UTC

...2008...
VERNAL EQUINOX.....(SPRING) MAR 20 2008 1248 AM EST - 0548 UTC

SUMMER SOLSTICE....(SUMMER) JUN 20 2008 659 PM EST - 2359 UTC

AUTUMNAL EQUINOX...(FALL)SEP 22 2008 1044 AM EST - 1544 UTC

WINTER SOLSTICE....(WINTER) DEC 21 2008 704 AM EST - 1204 UTC

...2009...
VERNAL EQUINOX.....(SPRING) MAR 20 2009 644 AM EST - 1144 UTC

SUMMER SOLSTICE....(SUMMER) JUN 21 2009 1245 AM EST - 0545 UTC

AUTUMNAL EQUINOX...(FALL)SEP 22 2009 418 PM EST - 2118 UTC

WINTER SOLSTICE....(WINTER) DEC 21 2009 1247 PM EST - 1747 UTC

...2010...
VERNAL EQUINOX.....(SPRING) MAR 20 2010 1232 PM EST - 1732 UTC

SUMMER SOLSTICE....(SUMMER) JUN 21 2010 628 AM EST - 1128 UTC

AUTUMNAL EQUINOX...(FALL)SEP 22 2010 1009 PM EST - 0309 UTC SEP 23

WINTER SOLSTICE....(WINTER) DEC 21 2010 638 PM EST - 2338 UTC

...2011...
VERNAL EQUINOX.....(SPRING) MAR 20 2011 621 PM EST - 2321 UTC

SUMMER SOLSTICE....(SUMMER) JUN 21 2011 1216 PM EST - 1716 UTC

AUTUMNAL EQUINOX...(FALL)SEP 23 2011 404 AM EST - 0904 UTC

WINTER SOLSTICE....(WINTER) DEC 22 2011 1230 AM EST - 0530 UTC

...2012...
VERNAL EQUINOX.....(SPRING) MAR 20 2012 1214 AM EST - 0514 UTC

SUMMER SOLSTICE....(SUMMER) JUN 20 2012 609 PM EST - 2309 UTC

AUTUMNAL EQUINOX...(FALL)SEP 22 2012 949 AM EST - 1449 UTC

WINTER SOLSTICE....(WINTER) DEC 21 2012 611 AM EST - 1111 UTC

...2013...
VERNAL EQUINOX.....(SPRING) MAR 20 2013 602 AM EST - 1102 UTC

SUMMER SOLSTICE....(SUMMER) JUN 21 2013 1204 AM EST - 0504 UTC

AUTUMNAL EQUINOX...(FALL)SEP 22 2013 344 PM EST - 2044 UTC

WINTER SOLSTICE....(WINTER) DEC 21 2013 1211 PM EST - 1711 UTC

...2014...
VERNAL EQUINOX.....(SPRING) MAR 20 2014 1157 AM EST - 1657 UTC

SUMMER SOLSTICE....(SUMMER) JUN 21 2014 551 AM EST - 1051 UTC

AUTUMNAL EQUINOX...(FALL)SEP 22 2014 929 PM EST - 0229 UTC SEP 23

WINTER SOLSTICE....(WINTER) DEC 21 2014 603 PM EST - 2303 UTC

...2015...
VERNAL EQUINOX.....(SPRING) MAR 20 2015 545 PM EST - 2245 UTC

SUMMER SOLSTICE....(SUMMER) JUN 21 2015 1138 AM EST - 1638 UTC

AUTUMNAL EQUINOX...(FALL)SEP 23 2015 320 AM EST - 0820 UTC

WINTER SOLSTICE....(WINTER) DEC 21 2015 1148 PM EST - 0438 UTC DEC 22

...2016...
VERNAL EQUINOX.....(SPRING) MAR 19 2016 1130 PM EST - 0430 UTC MAR 20

SUMMER SOLSTICE....(SUMMER) JUN 20 2016 534 PM EST - 2234 UTC

AUTUMNAL EQUINOX...(FALL)SEP 22 2016 921 AM EST - 1421 UTC

WINTER SOLSTICE....(WINTER) DEC 21 2016 544 AM EST - 1044 UTC

...2017...
VERNAL EQUINOX.....(SPRING) MAR 20 2017 528 AM EST - 1028 UTC

SUMMER SOLSTICE....(SUMMER) JUN 20 2017 1124 PM EST - 0424 UTC JUN 21

AUTUMNAL EQUINOX...(FALL)SEP 22 2017 302 PM EST - 2002 UTC

WINTER SOLSTICE....(WINTER) DEC 21 2017 1128 AM EST - 1628 UTC

...2018...
VERNAL EQUINOX.....(SPRING) MAR 20 2018 1115 AM EST - 1615 UTC

SUMMER SOLSTICE....(SUMMER) JUN 21 2018 507 AM EST - 1007 UTC

AUTUMNAL EQUINOX...(FALL)SEP 22 2018 854 PM EST - 0154 UTC SEP 23

WINTER SOLSTICE....(WINTER) DEC 21 2018 522 PM EST - 2222 UTC

...2019...
VERNAL EQUINOX.....(SPRING) MAR 20 2019 458 PM EST - 2158 UTC

SUMMER SOLSTICE....(SUMMER) JUN 21 2019 1054 AM EST - 1554 UTC

AUTUMNAL EQUINOX...(FALL)SEP 23 2019 250 AM EST - 0750 UTC

WINTER SOLSTICE....(WINTER) DEC 21 2019 1119 PM EST - 0419 UTC DEC 22

...2020...
VERNAL EQUINOX.....(SPRING) MAR 19 2020 1049 PM EST - 0349 UTC MAR 20

SUMMER SOLSTICE....(SUMMER) JUN 20 2020 443 PM EST - 2143 UTC

AUTUMNAL EQUINOX...(FALL)SEP 22 2020 130 PM EST - 1330 UTC

WINTER SOLSTICE....(WINTER) DEC 21 2020 502 AM EST - 1002 UTC