New Hampshire has had its fair share of exciting astronomical events in recent years, from a solar eclipse to northern lights to supermoons. For this segment of NHPR’s How to New Hampshire, we’re going back to the basics with stargazing.
Twice a month, on clear nights, the University of New Hampshire Observatory in Durham opens up to the public for a viewing session. People can look through telescopes and ask the observatory staff about anything astronomy.
These star parties are hosted by observatory Director John Gianforte. He’s also an extension associate professor of space science education and teaches at the university. Gianforte shared some tips on how to start stargazing.
Get familiar with the night sky
Gianforte says the best way to get started on your own is to just go outside and look around.
“You might not be able to identify any stars or constellations yet,” Gianforte said. “But your eye will be drawn to certain geometric patterns of stars, and that will make you curious about what they are.”
Then, start by getting to know the in-season stars. The night sky looks different every month, so a monthly star chart can be really helpful. It gives you a look at the constellations and the brighter planets for a particular month.
From year to year, the same stars will show up in the same months. The only thing that will be different is the location of the planets.
Gianforte recommends using star charts published by astronomy magazines to get started. He says they can be a little more straightforward compared to stargazing apps when you’re starting out.
Find a good spot
You’ll want a clear view of the sky. An ideal spot is dark, without much light pollution, and isn’t hemmed in by trees or buildings that can block your vision of the objects lower in the sky.
But you don’t have to go far off into the wilderness. Gianforte suggests a backyard with a break in the trees or a farmer’s field (as long as you ask for permission first).
What you’ll need
These are the items Gianforte recommends for a casual night for stargazing:
Binoculars: They’re easy to use, lightweight and versatile.
“If you’re fed up with stargazing,” Gianforte said, “You can still use them for birdwatching. Or going to a baseball or a football game with them.”
Gianforte says some binoculars are more suitable for stargazing than others. He likes a 7x50 or 7x35 binocular. But it also depends on how much magnification you want or what exit pupil size fits your eyes the best.
- A red flashlight: Gianforte covers his flashlights with red plastic wrap so it doesn’t ruin his night vision but still gives him enough light to see where he’s going and what he’s doing.
- A star chart: So you know what’s in the night sky.
- Astronomer’s journal: To keep track of what you see in the night sky. Gianforte likes to write down the stars and celestial objects that he sees, the date he sees them, the weather, and what he’s feeling.
For budding astronomers who want to see even farther in the night sky, there are lots of ways to access a telescope. You can go to your local astronomer’s club or borrow one from your public library.
You can also go to public sessions at observatories, often located within universities and colleges around the state. At UNH, the 14-inch telescope lets us see Saturn with its rings and moons and the Ring Nebula 2,000 light years away.
What’s there to see this fall?
The summer triangle, marked by the stars Vega, Altair and Deneb, is visible all through the fall.
“I always tell people to look for that,” Gianforte said, “You will be astounded by the number of stars you see, because you'll be looking right along the disk of the Milky Way galaxy.”
The planets will also be returning into view soon. Gianforte says right now, Saturn is visible in the evening sky, but as we move into fall and early winter, Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune and Uranus will all be visible.
There will also be meteor showers. The Orion is peaking in mid-October, and the Leonids are also peaking in mid-November.
As Gianforte says, every season has its gems to show us and the night sky is always changing.
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