How to View Objects in the Night Sky

Find a star chart for the date, time and area where you will be watching stars. You can buy them as books, glow-in-the-dark revolving charts or you can download and print them from the Internet.

Familiarize yourself with the star chart. Locate any features that are familiar, and then find other objects you'd like to view in the night sky, noting their locations relative to the familiar objects.

Go outside on a clear, dark night. Nights when the moon is new, or before the moon has risen are best for viewing objects in the sky.

Find a dark place with a good view of the sky. Urban areas with lots of light can make this difficult, but it's still possible. A balcony or rooftop above the level of streetlights can work, as can a large park or back road. Try to avoid places where headlights will interfere with your night vision.

Spread a blanket on the ground or put up your chair and sit or lie down. Being able to recline allows you to look at the sky without straining your neck.

Look at the night sky. It may take 20 minutes for your eyes to completely adjust to the darkness and see all of the detail.

Locate familiar features. Use those features and the star chart to locate other features. Once you have found a constellation both in the sky and on your star chart, you can find other features by finding them first on the chart, then in the sky. If your star chart doesn't glow in the dark, use a flashlight with a piece of red cellophane held over the lens with tape or a rubber band. This will allow you to look at the chart without interfering with your night vision.

Locate objects of interest, and then view them more closely with a telescope or binoculars.