“Just go outside and look up!” Those are encouraging words from one of my favorite stargazers, Guy Consolmagno, an astronomer and physicist who took vows with the Jesuit Order in 1991 and was appointed to the Vatican Observatory. He served as director of the observatory for 10 years, until this September.
Longer nights and cooler weather in October encourage us to look up and enjoy the night sky. Equip yourself with a notebook and a flashlight with a filter, and add an extra layer of clothes if it’s chilly. Be sure to check the forecast for a clear night sky.
Head out early enough so you can see a beautiful, golden autumn sunset. To appreciate a sunset properly, avoid distractions and be in the moment. Okay, take a picture of the glorious sunset — but just be still and look up.
As darkness approaches, settle in. With your naked eye, scan the horizon and listen to your surroundings. What do you hear? Do you feel a change in temperature? Record in your journal or notebook what you observe, noting your location, the date and time, and the weather conditions. For better stargazing, dim your flashlight by covering the lens with a red filter. (An easy way to do this is to simply spread red cellophane over the top of the flashlight and secure it with a rubber band.)
Familiarize yourself with the early- to mid-fall constellations Orion (named after the Greek hunter) and the Big Dipper, both of which are easy to spot for beginners and experienced stargazers, alike. To locate the Big Dipper, face north and look for stars in a ladle-shaped pattern. And to find Orion, face south and look for three evenly spaced stars — these make up the hunter’s belt. You can also read about how to identify Lyra and Cygnus; as summer constellations fade, these are two of the fall ones that take their place.
Scouting the skies more than once will help you ease into the process. You can start slowly — getting to know objects in distant skies takes time. You can chart the phases of the moon, too. The best time to view the night sky is when the moon is new or when it’s dark, before the moon rises in the night sky.
Places far from city lights are the best spots to observe the night sky, especially when you’re eager to see meteor showers, two of which happen in October — Taurid (peaks on Oct. 12) and Orionid (peaks on Oct. 22-23).
You can also see the Andromeda Galaxy, which is the spiral galaxy closest to our Milky Way. Beginners using a star chart may also be able to identify the Perseus Double Cluster, which is located in the constellation Perseus, and the Hunter’s Moon.
In Maryland, our mid- to late-October skies offer Mars and Venus in the early morning, Saturn and Jupiter after sunset, and Mercury in the evening.
When you feel you’re familiar with the most common constellations you can see with a naked eye, you can learn to identify visible planets. Using a star chart or an app —SkySafari and Stellarium are two I recommend — is a great way to do this.
Once you’re comfortable identifying our most visible constellations and can identify planets, consider scouting the sky with inexpensive binoculars. You’ll be able to see craters, shadows and the topography of rugged mountains on the moon.
I’d also like to mention some of my favorite references for sky-watching.
On the top of my list is Turn Left at Orion, by Brother Guy Consolmagno and Dan Davis. This book is for beginners starting out with a telescope, even a simple one. The book is straightforward and practical, with useful sketches. It’s a joy to read.
NightWatch: A Practical Guide to Viewing the Universe, by Terence Dickinson, is popular for its step-by-step instructions, clear star charts and practical advice for family stargazing.
Other good references, especially for young people, are Find the Constellations and Stars: A New Way to See Them, both by H.A. Rey (who also wrote the Curious George books). With great illustrations even children will understand, these books are also great for adults.
Monthly magazines such as Astronomy and Sky and Telescope offer special issues that cater to beginners. The Laurel Branch Library subscribes to both of these; you can peruse them online or find them in the library’s magazine racks.
The National Geographic Backyard Guide to the Night Sky, by Andrew Frazekas (the Night Sky Guy), is a comprehensive resource, including charts and tips, along with astonishing images, and an atlas depicting the night sky for an entire year.
We also have local astronomy clubs that you may want to check out, including these three that are close to Laurel:
The Astronomical Society of Greenbelt holds free star parties at the Greenbelt Observatory on the third and fourth Saturdays of every month. For more information, go to greenbeltastro.org.
Howard Astronomical League holds a star party for the public every month, starting at sunset at Alpha Ridge Park in Marriotsville. For more information, go to howardsastro.org.
Robinson Nature Center Planetarium in Columbia hosts family-friendly events, often including movies, the first Friday of the month. More on this at tinyurl.com/3w5tyk9p.
And lastly, I highly recommend “The Pope’s Astronomer: Meet Brother Guy Consolmagno,” Colm Flynn’s marvelous interview with Consolmagno, whose passion and enthusiasm for the night sky is on full display. You can find the interview at tinyurl.com/4yuj7u74.