Things You Should Consider to Plan the Best Stargazing Trip Ever

Many people think that summer is the best time for stargazing. It’s warm outside and camping is typically the most popular in the summer. When people camp, they usually stargaze. However, if your main purpose on a trip is to stargaze, summer is not the ideal time to go. So when is the best time to go? There are many factors to consider when you’re trying to choose. Here are the things you should consider to plan the best stargazing trip ever.

Considerations for Stargazing

Light Pollution

Light pollution happens a lot in cities. If you’ve ever looked up at the stars and not been able to see any, light pollution probably has something to do with that. City lights are so bright that they often drown out the shine of the stars. Consider going somewhere outside of town if you want a good view of the stars. This may require several hours of travel if you live in a big city. But the difference will be astronomical. The number of stars you can and cannot see depends a lot on light pollution.

Time of the Year

Summer is actually not the ideal time to go stargazing. This is because the nights are shortest in the summer. The sun goes down really late, and comes up really early. If you live somewhere that’s more northern, the nights are even shorter. It’s easy to stargaze during the summer because a lot of people are already camping, but trips designated for stargazing should not be in the Summer. Consider going in Autumn or Winter. Ideally after daylight savings time when the clocks go back an hour. This happens in October. The night becomes a whole hour longer, giving you more time to see the stars.

Image Source: Pixabay

Fires

When you go stargazing, a lot of people will have fires for warmth. Try using another method of warmth for the best view of the stars. Campfires give off light pollution that prevents you from seeing the most stars you possibly can. You want the area to be as dark as possible. Consider using a fire for cooking or eating, then putting out the fire when you want to stargaze. Bring a lot of blankets and warmers so no one will get cold.

Telescope

A telescope makes stargazing so much better. You can get a much better view if you have a telescope. Learn about the constellations and use your telescope to help you find them. You can also see planets using a telescope. A lot of telescopes even let you see the detail of planets like Saturn’s rings. This will make your stargazing trip that much better. Look at the milky way and see the whole galaxy through your telescope. There are so many things you can see better, and learn more about.

Summing Up

The stars are so beautiful and there is so much we can learn from looking at them. Stargazing makes a great activity for the whole family. Everyone can learn something from looking at the stars. Teach your kids how to find North by looking at the stars. They can learn about the constellations and see how many they can find on their own. If you’re planning a stargazing trip, consider these factors. Doing these things will help you to have the best stargazing trip ever. You’ll never forget the night you saw the milky way, Saturn’s rings, and shooting stars. It’ll be a trip to remember.