How to Look into Outer Space

Choose a location outdoors where lights are minimal. If you live within city limits, you may have to go to a more rural area just to see the stars in the sky.

Use the binoculars to study the night sky. On a clear night, the strength of the lenses will be more than enough to look at the surface of the moon, and bring close planets into focus.

Set up a backyard telescope to explore deeper into space. Choose an area of the night sky to explore. Watch this area every night for several weeks to see how the star patterns change and planets enter and exit the area.

Visit a planetarium or space museum. The larger, and stronger, telescopes found at planetariums will allow you to see to the end of our galaxy and beyond. During events, such as meteor showers and the appearance of named comets, many museums and planetariums have public viewings of the events available.

Visit NASA's website to view the latest high resolution photographs from space. This may be the best way, short of traveling into space yourself, of getting a real look at the beauties and wonders of outer space (see Resources below).