Null Hypotheses Im Looking At You :(

“How to Identify that Light in the Sky ” Is the NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day of today, November 14, 2021

How To Prepare To Go Stargazing

Preparing To Go Stargazing

So you want to go stargazing...and you have the perfect night and location picked out...the question is: What do you bring? What do you wear? Should you bring food? Drinks? Chairs? A backpack? 

Well, you've come to the right place. Prepare to have all your questions answered here!

Clothing

Generally, the best nights for stargazing are colder ones or you'll be up at higher altitudes in the middle of the night, so dress cozily! Check the weather forecast before heading out and dress appropriately, with a nice, warm jacket, pants (shorts are probably a no-no), a beanie, and gloves depending on where you're going. It never hurts to have backup extra layers stored in the car as well.

Stargazing Materials

Obviously, bring your telescope! If you don't have one, no worries, you can bring binoculars, borrow a telescope from your nearby observatory, or just go watch the stars with your naked eye--I promise it won't be any less breathtaking. 

But if you're planning on bringing your telescope, make sure to bring a beach towel or something else to place your telescope on--a plastic tub as a base works well too for telescopes that don't have tripods. Also, make sure to have something handy to clean your lens with, just in case it gets dusty or windy. 

Lights

It's best to avoid looking at your phone or any white lights to help your eyes adjust to the darkness and see the stars better, so pack a red light torch and activate red light on your phone screen so if you need to check your phone for any reason, or to access an astronomy app, you don't blind your eyes with the white light. 

Food and Drinks

This is all based on preference, but it's always fun to have a small campfire and roast s'mores while drinking hot chocolate. Depending on how long you plan to be stargazing, prepare drinks (have a few water bottles on hand just in case) and some snacks and have a good time talking, watching the stars, and snacking with others. 

Other Essentials

Make sure to have extra power chargers--portable batteries, power tanks,  a pack of batteries, etc.--just in case anything runs out of power, especially if you're in a remote location. 

A first-aid kit is important because you never know what might happen or when someone will need a band-aid. Keep a small first-aid kit in your car, stocked with (at the very least) band-aids (large and small size), Neosporin, gauze, and clean anti-bacterial wipes.

If it's summertime, it's probably also a smart idea to invest in some mosquito or bug spray, or get bug-repelling bracelets to keep the bugs from spoiling your night. 

That's All!

You are set to go stargazing, so get out there and have a fantastic time!

Neptune’s rings in infrared © JWST

There is literally nothing that can compete with how satisfying cancelling down an equation is

Breathtaking...🤩

Cosmic clouds in Orion © ESO

Cosmic Witch Head © Utkarsh Mishra

Double slit experiment gives me the chills...

Tried to understand the double slit experiment to understand Schrodinger's cat...I either got more confused and understand nothing or I understand it perfectly. It's one or the either. Or both. It might be both. It's probably both. I think it's both.

Best Conditions for Stargazing

Stargazing

So you want to go stargazing...but when...and where?

Follow what I call the 3 C's:

1. Clear skies

You definitely want to go stargazing only when the night skies are clear because otherwise, you won't be able to see anything. What does it mean to be clear? Well, you want to make sure that the stars are easily visible and there's no dust, moisture, or anything else that could make the stars hazy or difficult to see. Another important thing to think about is the brightness of the moon; if the moon is too bright it might outshine the stars and make them harder to view--that's why New Moons are optimal times to go stargazing.

2. Close to sky

Stargazing is best done high up and closer to the stars, and far, far away from city lights. Light pollution can seriously ruin your experience, so plan ahead and go somewhere high up and with low levels of light pollution. Locations good for stargazing usually include mountains, the tops of buildings, and beaches (usually the cliffs by the ocean are great).

3. Cold air

This isn't a requirement, but generally, visibility is better during the winter when the air is cold and the Artic sends cleaner air southwards. Plus, you can bring hot chocolate and roast s'mores!

Pro tip: Google good locations in your area to go stargazing--your five minutes of google searching will definitely pay off!