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How do I Observe Constellations With the Unaided Eye?

The sky is filled with heroes. Orion the hunter aims his arrow at Taurus whose tail is home to the Pleiades, seven stars representing the daughters of Atlas. Finding a constellation means not just learning about the universe, but about the history of human beings, their beliefs and their dreams. Before Galileo invented a telescope good enough, the only things man possessed to help him view the heavens were his eyes. Modern technology continues to advance; however, it has always been our privilege to step back and behold, with the naked eye, the night sky and the mythological creatures who inhabit it.

Instructions

How to Observe Constellations With the Unaided Eye
- 1
  
  You don't need to go to an observatory to see constellations.
  
  Get a star chart. Astronomy magazines commonly contain such charts, or you may find one online to print (see link in Resources). Be sure to get a chart that corresponds to the time of year you are viewing the sky and to your particular location. Though some constellations are always visible, others come and go according to the season. And what is visible in the northern hemisphere may not be visible in the southern hemisphere or may look different. For example, to a stargazer in Argentina the familiar figure of Orion and his glimmering belt appear upside down.
- 2
  
  City lights can obscure the night sky.
  
  Choose a dark place in a dark time. City lights compete with the stars and obscure the visibility of constellations. Even in a sleepy suburb your chances of seeing the night sky clearly are reduced. The less interference from artificial light the better. And nature puts up its own distractions as well. A full moon casts a glow that can interfere with your ability to view all or some of a constellation's stars. The ideal place to spot constellations without a telescope or binoculars is in the desert or mountains during a new moon.
- 3
  
  The Big Dipper is an asterism, not a constellation.
  
  Locate the North Star. Polaris always appears in the northern hemisphere, no matter the season. By finding north on your map and aligning it with the sky, you can orient yourself so you're facing the right direction. If you've done it correctly, you'll see Polaris sitting at the tip of Ursa Minor, also known as the Little Dipper. Use this diminutive constellation as a landmark for finding other constellations nearby, such as Perseus, Canis Major and Pegasus (according to their seasons).
- 4
  
  The night sky is full of constellations if you know where to look.
  
  Look around and compare. Once you've found Polaris, you're off and running. If it's summer in the northern hemisphere, you'll need no telescope to see Draco wrapping its tail around the Little Dipper. Under Draco you'll see Hercules. Compare that to what you see in the winter. Draco is no longer visible, but now Cassiopeia, Andromeda and Perseus have arrived, clear enough to be spotted with the naked eye. As you get better at discerning the constellations, you'll be able to tell which season it is simply by looking up at the sky.

Astronomy