Tombstone Sky
Dark-Site Observatory

Backyard Astronomy
Stargazing

Before going out and trying your luck with finding constellations, there are a few things you should know.

There are four parts to this stargazing section. First, take 30 seconds and read the Basics page. Then, when you're ready to outside for your first night of stargazing, make yourself familiar with the Polar Region. After that move on to Monthly Picks to find the "constellations of the month" I've provided for you. If you go through all this, you will have been introduced 20 of the 30 major constellations in the northern hemisphere (six of the twelve in the Zodiac) and 14 of our 17 brightest stars.

At any time during this phase (since it takes a year to complete), you can look at the What Next? page for recommendations if you decide stargazing is something you'll be continuing.