Humans Have Looked to the Skies for Many, Many Decades

Follow These Tips to Stargaze Like Ancient Peoples Did

For thousands of years, humans have been watching the sky. They’ve mastered the patterns of the stars and can easily find constellations like the zodiacs, Pleiades, the Big Dipper, Orion, and many other star clusters. Ancient people knew their way around the night sky; if you want to learn to be as skilled in astronomy and stargazing as they were, follow these tips below.

To stargaze properly, you’ll want at least 15 minutes for your eyes to adjust to the dark. Even then, at a prime time for gazing, the naked eye can only see around 2,000 stars at a time. It’s easier to see more stars if you’re relaxed and comfortable. This means bundling up or cooling off as necessary.

The constellations or stars you will see also depends on the time of year, so make sure to look at charts or websites that can tell you what astral phenomena is happening at what time of the year. For example, if you look to the east in October, you will see constellations like Pegasus and Taurus. Other times in the year, these are not visible.

A good investment for stargazing would be a well-made telescope or binoculars. If you don’t own either, you could always turn to a local observatory or space club to borrow one. With a quality telescope, you can see stars and planets much clearer.

Stargazing is an activity that has been around for thousands of years. Billions of people have practiced this art and relied on it to tell stories and pass down legends. Despite technological advancements, the tradition remains looking to the skies.

[Source: Children’s Atlas of the Universe ]

So people have been looking at the stars pretty forever? Back then I bet it was even better since they didnt have all the lights. Nice article Katrin! – Kelly Nguyen , South Madison (2017-01-05 17:20)
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